Sleep apnea is defined as snoring and sleep respiratory arrest. Sleeping takes up about a third of the average human life. It is very important for a healthy lifestyle. Poor quality sleep and daytime sleepiness are important because they cause outcomes such as lack of concentration. Sleep apnea can cause high blood pressure, arrhythmia, stroke, or sudden death at night.

Causes of Sleep Apnea

The cause of sleep apnea is the inhibition of relaxation of the muscles in the throat area through which the air passes. Narrowing of the upper airway can cause airway wear and tear in childhood, which can lead to sleep apnea. Being overweight, having large tonsils and adenoids are also cited among the causes of sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is encountered not only in adults, but also in children.

Sleep apnea is 3-4 times more common in people who snore during sleep. These people tend to have a very difficult and loud sleep. In addition to snoring, people with sleep apnea have shortness of breath, frequent awaking, awaking with hand movements, frequent and prolonged pauses in breathing, and sudden and early morning awakenings. Hypertension occurs in 30-50% of patients with sleep apnea, but this is not considered to be the definitive cause of sleep apnea.

Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

Stopping breathing in sleep apnea is the most important of its symptoms. Other symptoms of sleep apnea can be summarized as follows:

• Restlessness during sleep
• Snoring
• Frequent urination
• Sweating
• Dry mouth
• Shortness of breath

In addition, headache, forgetfulness, lack of concentration, depression, sudden awakening in the morning and excessive sleepiness and fatigue are among the symptoms of sleep apnea that can be observed during the daytime.

If sleep apnea is not treated, it is possible to encounter sudden death, heart attack, heart failure, stroke, sexual reluctance and impotence, and uncontrollable weight gain. In addition, sleep apnea can cause traffic accidents and work accidents due to the lack of concentration during the day.

How to Prevent Sleep Apnea

Obesity is the most important modifiable risk factor for the development of the disease. In addition, it is recommended to stay away from alcohol and sleeping pills, smoking should be quit and also lying on the back should not be preferred. These measures reduce snoring and are supportive for the treatment of sleep apnea.

Sleep Apnea Treatment

Obesity treatment should be performed before sleep apnea treatment. If there are significant anatomical strictures in the upper respiratory tract, the otolaryngologist should examine the patient for surgery. Severe sleep apnea can be cured with positive air pressure therapy. Depending on the effect of the treatment and the patient's preferences, the patient should be controlled with automatic regulation or on a constant pressure device.

The specific treatment of sleep apnea is the PAP (positive airway pressure) device, which prevents sleep apnea and keeps the upper airway open during sleep. These devices, which provide compressed air through the night with a silicone mask firmly attached to the face, may initially seem uncomfortable for the patient. The first night should be spent in the sleep laboratory to determine which device is suitable for the patient. It should be checked whether the apnea disappears to a minimum.

Sleep apnea treatment is categorized into lifestyle change, surgical treatment and positive air pressure depending on the level of the disease. The first treatment is to get rid of excess weight. Smoking and alcohol consumption should be avoided. Severe upper airway stenosis may require surgical treatment. For the treatment of advanced sleep apnea, a CPAP device with positive air pressure is used. These devices prevent apnea by keeping the upper airway open during sleep. The device supports sleep using a silicone mask in the air. Thus, snoring treatment is performed. You might feel tired for a long time. If you or your partner snore loudly every night and often have trouble breathing while sleeping, you may want to request a sleep apnea test from your healthcare provider.