Could I Have Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder characterized by repeated interruptions in breathing during sleep. When you have sleep apnea: Your airway becomes blocked or collapses, leading to pauses in breathing. You may experience shallow breathing (hypopnea) or complete cessation of breath (apnea). These interruptions can lead to broken sleep and reduced night time oxygen levels in your blood.

Untreated sleep apnea causes poor quality sleep and results in fatigue and sleepiness during the day. Drowsiness reduces quality of life and can cause driving and workplace accidents. Untreated sleep apnea and the resulting poor sleep quality can lead to  other health consequences, including: Poor memory and concentration Higher blood pressures Depression, anxiety, or mood changes

Often, sleep apnea goes unrecognized.  Based on research, in India, an estimated 100 million working-aged adults (11% of the population) are living with sleep apnea with about 50 million of those having moderate to severe sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea is more common among people with  the following risk factors: Being overweight or obese Having a large neck circumference Being older Having a family history of sleep apnea Smoking or alcohol use Having obstruction of the nasal passages.  If you have any risk factors for sleep apnea, Medwiki’s STOP-BANG calculator can help you find out whether a medical evaluation is needed. The STOP-BANG score uses 8 yes or no questions to gauge your risk of sleep apnea. 

The diagnosis of sleep apnea requires a sleep study, also called polysomnography. This can be done in two ways. In many cases, the sleep study can be done using portable equipment at home. The equipment measures breathing patterns and oxygen levels during sleep.  Some people require an overnight study in a sleep laboratory where body functions are monitored.

Therapies for sleep apnea include both changes in personal behaviors as well as medical treatments. Lifestyle solutions Maintaining a healthy weight can reduce symptoms. Avoid alcohol and sedatives as they can worsen the symptoms. Using a humidifier can help ease breathing during sleep. Sleep on your side and not your back Medical Solutions Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy Oral appliances to keep the airway open Surgery is sometimes recommended when other solutions do not work.