New Delhi: A good night’s sleep does not always imply that you wake up feeling rested. If you often feel tired, have trouble concentrating, or feel drowsy during the day (even if you’re getting enough time in bed), the problem may be with the quality of your sleep rather than the number of hours you rested. One potential explanation is obstructive sleep apnea, a sleep-related breathing disorder that is often missed.
What Does Sleep Apnea Mean?
“Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the muscles of the throat relax during sleep, causing the upper airway to repeatedly narrow or close,” explains Dr. Arup Halder, Consultant Pulmonologist at CK Birla Hospitals, CMRI. He adds that this stops normal breathing, sometimes for several seconds at a time. “The brain will briefly respond to bring back breathing, causing recurring sleep disruptions a person might not recall the next morning. This means sleep is interrupted and not as restful, even if it seems like you got enough sleep,” he says.
One of the most common warning signs is loud, chronic snoring, especially if you stop breathing, gasp or choke while you sleep. Other symptoms include a dry mouth or a headache on waking, trouble concentrating, irritability and chronic fatigue during the day. However, not everyone with sleep apnea snores loudly; symptoms can vary from one person to another.
What Causes It?
Some of the things that can lead to the condition include being overweight, age, a narrow upper airway and a family history of sleep apnea. It can happen to anyone at any age and any body type, so don’t ignore ongoing symptoms just because you don’t fit the usual profile.
Diagnosis And Treatment
Pulmonologist Dr. Halder says that sleep apnea has consequences that are more than just being tired:
- High blood pressure and increased risk of cardiovascular problems may be caused by repeated dips in oxygen levels and poor sleep.
- Daytime sleepiness may also impair work performance, attention and safety behind the wheel.
- Diagnosis is usually made on the basis of a clinical assessment.
- If indicated, a sleep study monitors breathing, oxygen levels and other body functions during sleep.
- The treatment depends on the severity of the condition. It may include weight control, sleep position changes, oral appliances, or continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy.
“Keeping to a regular sleep schedule, cutting back on alcohol before bed and watching your weight can help promote better sleep health but these are not an alternative to medical assessment if sleep apnea is suspected,” says the pulmonologist. Sleeping enough hours does not necessarily mean sleeping well. If you are tired despite sleeping well and are snoring or breathing heavily, see a doctor to find out what is causing the problem and what treatment is available.
