Can sleep apnea kill you? There are many dangers associated with sleep apnea, and one of the most serious is that it can kill you.
When you stop breathing during sleep, your body is deprived of oxygen, leading to serious health problems, including heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure. If you suspect that you may have sleep apnea, it’s essential to see a doctor to get treatment and protect your health.
- 1 Sleep Apnea Explained
- 2 Causes Of Breathing Stopping During Sleep
- 3 How Breathing Resumes
- 4 When Does Sleep Apnea Become Serious?
- 5 Can Sleep Apnea Kill You?
- 6 Sleep Apnea In Children
- 7 When Should You See A Doctor?
- 8 FAQs
- 9 Conclusion
Sleep Apnea Explained
There are three varieties of sleep apnea, but the most common is obstructive sleep apnea, which affects most people. Because the structures around the throat impede the airway, a sleeper with obstructive apnea is unable to breathe deeply and regularly. This blockage causes snoring at the very least and an all-night gasping, choking struggle for air at the very worst.
Observing someone with severe sleep apnea is distressing. They may cease breathing for up to a minute as their bodies urgently try to take a breath.
They finally take a massive intake of breath, followed by a few smaller ones, with a choking gasp and sometimes a spasm that sweeps through the body. Their body relaxes, and the cycle repeats itself.
The oxygen concentration in this person’s blood reduces every time they stop breathing. Maybe a smidgeon. Perhaps quite a bit. Every night, their sleep is disrupted a hundred times. Every time they have to fight for breath, they awaken to some degree.
They never get a good night’s sleep and are exhausted and sluggish in the morning. They are drowsy throughout the day and have difficulty concentrating on chores.
The body suffers a tremendous toll due to the battle and oxygen deprivation over time. The endocrine and neurological systems of the body are strained all night when they should be cleansed and healed by a good night’s sleep. The body responds by causing systemic inflammation, which can lead to various health problems.
Causes Of Breathing Stopping During Sleep
Breathing problems caused by sleep are pretty prevalent. Most people are familiar with snoring. While you breathe, vibrations in the tissues of your upper airway generate a distinctive sound.
It’s also feasible to cease breathing entirely for a short period. It is the medical term for these breathing pauses, comes from the Greek word apnea, which means “no breath.” Apnea episodes must last at least 10 seconds to be considered apnea, but they might extend for many minutes.
The sleeping disease known as obstructive sleep apnea is the most prevalent cause of apnea (OSA). The upper airway tissues—the tongue, soft palate, and uvula—collapse into the neck and impede normal airflow, causing OSA.
The chest and belly may still move in an attempt to breathe, but the air cannot get past the barrier. As a result, airflow via your nose and mouth is limited or completely stopped at these times.
Other less prevalent reasons for sleep breathing disturbances include: They are as follows:
- Central sleep apnea: When the brain fails to inform the respiratory muscles to work, pauses in breathing occur. An issue with the brainstem, excessive obesity, and drugs such as opiate painkillers can all contribute to this.
- Cheyne-Stokes respiration is connected with severe heart failure and neurological illnesses such as dementia. It involves alternating heavy and shallow breathing and pauses in breathing.
- Ondine’s curse (congenital central hypoventilation syndrome): Oxygen deficiency and excess carbon dioxide in the blood are caused by shallow breathing, especially during asleep. A malfunction of the neurological system usually causes the problem.
How Breathing Resumes
The oxygen levels in the blood decline when breathing incorrectly. When the brain detects short breathing and elevated carbon dioxide levels, it triggers an awakening response.
These awakenings are linked to bouts of elevated heart rate and blood pressure, and in the long run, they can lead to other issues. You can wake up gasping or choking, and your partner might hear a loud snort and movement as you wake up from a deep slumber.
Sleep 5 hours is enough? Read our guide to know more.
When Does Sleep Apnea Become Serious?
It can be mild or severe. Pauses in breathing are considered to occur up to five times per hour in adults and once per hour in children. These occurrences could potentially be a result of typical sleep-stage changes.
The asleep study may diagnose OSA if breathing disturbances occur more frequently. The apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) is used to classify sleep apnea into the following categories:
- 5-14 occurrences per hour (mild)
- 15-30 incidents per hour are considered moderate.
- More than 30 occurrences per hour are considered severe.
It’s also crucial to understand the degree of oxygen deprivation during these situations. Hypoxemia is defined as a drop in oxygen levels below 90%.
When a person has heart or lung problems, the oxygen levels in the blood might drop dramatically with each apnea episode. As a result, the body may be subjected to more stress overnight. Chronic oxygen deprivation can have short- and long-term consequences.
Another problem that is also cared for is drooling, read the article for more detail: Why Do I Drool When I Sleep?
Can Sleep Apnea Kill You?
The breathing pauses caused by sleep apnea are exceedingly rare to result in death. To put it another way, you won’t simply cease breathing. On the other hand, OSA can put you at risk for a variety of potentially dangerous short- and long-term health problems, some of which can result in abrupt death.
Breathing pauses can cause heart arrhythmia, resulting in cardiac arrest.
There are possible outcomes atrial fibrillation, heart attack (myocardial infarction), and even stroke.
These occurrences seem to rise in the morning when REM sleep is more common and apnea is more likely.
According to studies, people with OSA are 2.5 times more likely to die suddenly while sleeping between midnight and 6 a.m.
The good news is that CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) therapy appears to reduce the risk of most significant consequences and the likelihood of OSA leading to long-term cardiac issues.
Long-term sleep-disordered breathing has been shown to have profound health implications. It can increase the risk of high blood pressure (hypertension), diabetes, and heart disease.
It’s also linked to depression and memory issues, such as Alzheimer’s.
It makes you sleepy during the day and may cause mishaps.
While OSA isn’t fatal in and of itself, many of the problems it can cause can put your life in jeopardy. As a result, treating apnea is critical for your health.
Sleep Apnea In Children
While the core anatomical abnormalities in adults and children’s sleep apnea are the same, the symptoms and effects are not.
It affects children in the same way it affects adults: their sleep is disrupted and of low quality. However, some of the symptoms in children might be misdiagnosed as willfulness or attention deficit difficulties, making it easy for parents to overlook this medical issue.
Because they have a structural condition that prevents them from breathing and sleeping well, these unhappy children may be frequently reprimanded or drugged with high stimulants.
Despite presenting these indicators during sleeping, a parent may not recognize their child has apnea:
- Long durations of time without taking a breath
- Choking or coughing
- Sweating excessively during the night
They may consider their child to be a snorer. This child has been trying to get enough air into their lungs all night. The child has the following challenges as a result of the stress and inflammation caused throughout the body, as well as a lack of sufficient sleep:
- Having trouble waking up
- Problems with the heart
- Poor weight gain and growth
- Problems with behavior or in school:
- I’m unable to pay attention due to a lack of focus.
- Inadequate performance or application to schoolwork
- Learning disabilities
When Should You See A Doctor?
If you or someone you care about has frequent breathing pauses, you should seek medical help. Don’t dismiss sleep breathing difficulties as insignificant; they can lead to significant problems over time.
Other symptoms or indicators could indicate the diagnosis, but only a sleep study can provide a definitive answer. Fortunately, effective treatment alternatives are available, including using a CPAP machine or an oral appliance.
Speak with your doctor about the treatment you need to improve your breathing and sleeping. You’ll be glad you took the time to do so.
When I sleep, why do I stop breathing?
It is a frequent disorder in which a person’s breathing stops for a brief while sleeping. It can include loud snoring, breathing pauses, and gasping on occasion.
This has a significant impact on a person’s general health and sleeps quality. Apnea can affect anyone, although it is more common among older, overweight males.
Is it possible to die from sleep apnea?
No, sleep apnea is unlikely to cause death while a person is sleeping. On the other hand, it hurts the cardiovascular system and can raise the risk of sudden cardiac death. If it not addressed, the risk of having a stroke increases.
The cause of sleep apnea in a person should be considered even when you have good vision. If you have been diagnosed with apnea and are suffering from snoring, a noise-blocking device purchase doctor may recommend surgery. Repopny hopes this post will help you to sleep better and get relief from sleep apnea.
Je, ugonjwa wa kupumua usingizi waweza kukuua? Kuna hatari nyingi zinazohusiana na kukosa kupumua wakati wa usingizi, na mojawapo ya hatari kubwa ni kwamba inaweza kukuua. Unapoacha kupumua wakati wa usingizi, mwili wako unakosa oksijeni, na kusababisha matatizo makubwa ya afya, kutia ndani magonjwa ya moyo, kiharusi, na shinikizo la damu. Ikiwa unashuku kwamba huenda ukawa na ugonjwa wa kupumua usingizi, ni muhimu kumwona daktari ili upate matibabu na kulinda afya yako. 1 Ugonjwa wa kupumua usingizi - Sababu 2 za Kupumua Kusimamishwa Wakati wa Kulala - 3 Jinsi Upumuaji Unavyoanza - 4 Ni Wakati Gani Ugonjwa wa Kupumua Usingizi Unakuwa Mzito? Je, Apnea ya Usingizi Inaweza Kukuua? Ugonjwa wa kupumua usingizi kwa watoto - Ni wakati gani unapaswa kumwona daktari? Kuna aina tatu za apnea ya usingizi, lakini ya kawaida ni apnea ya usingizi ya kuzuia, ambayo huathiri watu wengi. Kwa sababu miundo inayozunguka koo huzuia njia za kupumua, mtu anayelala na ugonjwa wa kupumua bila kupumua hawezi kupumua kwa kina na kwa ukawaida. Kuzuia hii husababisha snoring angalau na usiku wote gasping, suffocating mapambano kwa ajili ya hewa katika mbaya sana. Kumtazama mtu mwenye ugonjwa mbaya wa kupumua wakati wa usingizi ni jambo lenye kusumbua. Wanaweza kuacha kupumua kwa muda wa dakika moja kwa sababu miili yao inajaribu kupumua haraka. Mwishowe, wao huchukua pumzi kubwa, ikifuatiwa na pumzi ndogo, na kupumua kwa nguvu na nyakati nyingine hupumua kwa nguvu sana. Mwili wao hupumzika, na mzunguko huo hurudia-rudia. Kiwango cha oksijeni katika damu ya mtu huyo hupungua kila mara anapoacha kupumua. Labda kidogo. Labda kwa kiasi fulani. Kila usiku, usingizi wao huharibiwa mara mia moja. Kila mara wanapopigana ili kupata pumzi, wao huamka kwa kadiri fulani. Hawapati usingizi wa kutosha usiku na huwa wamechoka na ni wavivu asubuhi. Wao hulala usingizi mchana kutwa na wana matatizo ya kukaza fikira kazi za nyumbani. Mwili huhitaji msaada mkubwa kwa sababu ya vita na ukosefu wa oksijeni kwa muda. Mifumo ya endocrine na ya neva ya mwili huwa na mkazo usiku kucha wakati inapaswa kusafishwa na kuponywa na usingizi mzuri wa usiku. Mwili huitikia kwa kusababisha uvimbe wa mfumo, ambao waweza kusababisha matatizo mbalimbali ya afya. Sababu za Kusimamishwa kwa Kupumua Wakati wa Kulala Matatizo ya kupumua yanayosababishwa na usingizi ni ya kawaida sana. Watu wengi wanajua vizuri kuhusu kunung'unika. Wakati unapopumua, miundo ya njia za juu za kupumua hutokeza sauti ya pekee. Pia inawezekana kuacha kupumua kabisa kwa muda mfupi. "Jina la kifahari la apnea linatokana na neno la Kigiriki ""apnea"" linalomaanisha ""hakuna pumzi"" na linamaanisha ""hakuna pumzi"" na ""hakuna pumzi"" na ""hakuna pumzi"" ni neno la kitiba linalomaanisha ""hakuna pumzi"" na ""hakuna pumzi"" ni neno la kitiba linalomaanisha ""hakuna pumzi.""" Ugonjwa wa usingizi unaoitwa obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) ndio kisababishi cha kawaida cha ugonjwa huo. Viungo vya njia za juu za hewa - ulimi, mdomo laini, na uvula - huanguka kwenye shingo na kuzuia mtiririko wa hewa wa kawaida, na kusababisha OSA. Mwili na kifua vinaweza kuhamia ili kupumua, lakini hewa haiwezi kuvuka kizuizi hicho. Matokeo ni kwamba, hewa inayotiririka kupitia pua na kinywa chako hupunguzwa au kusimamishwa kabisa wakati huo. Kwa sababu nyingine za kawaida za matatizo ya kupumua wakati wa usingizi ni kama ifuatavyo: - Apnea ya usingizi ya kati: Wakati ubongo unashindwa kuwajulisha misuli ya kupumua kufanya kazi, mapumziko ya kupumua hutokea. Tatizo la uti wa ubongo, kunenepa kupita kiasi, na dawa kama vile dawa za kupunguza maumivu za opiate zote zaweza kuchangia hali hiyo. - Upasuaji wa Cheyne-Stokes unahusiana na kushindwa kwa moyo na magonjwa ya neva kama vile ugonjwa wa akili. Inatia ndani kupumua kwa nguvu na kwa kina kidogo na kupumua kwa muda mfupi. - Laana ya Ondine (congenital central hypoventilation syndrome): Upungufu wa oksijeni na ziada ya kaboni dioksidi katika damu husababishwa na kupumua kidogo, hasa wakati wa kulala. Kwa kawaida tatizo hilo husababishwa na kasoro ya mfumo wa neva. Jinsi Upasuaji Unavyoanza Tena Kiwango cha Oksijeni Katika Damu Hupungua Unapopumua vibaya. Wakati ubongo unapogundua kupumua kwa muda mfupi na viwango vya juu vya kaboni dioksidi, huamsha majibu ya kuamka. Kuamka kwa moyo kunaweza kusababisha mshtuko wa moyo na shinikizo la damu, na kwa muda mrefu inaweza kusababisha matatizo mengine. Unaweza kuamka ukiwa na kichefuchefu au ukiwa na kichefuchefu, na mwenzi wako anaweza kusikia sauti kubwa ya kupiga pua na kutembea unapojitazama kutoka kwenye usingizi mzito. Je, usingizi wa saa tano unatosha? Soma mwongozo wetu ili ujue zaidi. Ni Wakati Gani Unapokuwa na Ugonjwa Mkubwa wa Kupumzika Usingizi? Inaweza kuwa ya kiasi kidogo au kali. Kusimama kwa kupumua huonwa kutokea mara tano kwa saa kwa watu wazima na mara moja kwa saa kwa watoto. Matukio hayo yaweza kuwa tokeo la mabadiliko ya kawaida ya hatua ya usingizi. Uchunguzi wa usingizi unaweza kugundua OSA ikiwa matatizo ya kupumua hutokea mara nyingi zaidi. Kiwango cha apnea-hypopnea (AHI) ni kiwango cha kawaida cha kupumua kwa mtu, ambacho kinahesabiwa kuwa cha wastani wa 5 hadi 14 kwa saa. Zaidi ya 30 ya matukio kwa saa ni kuchukuliwa kuwa kali. Pia ni muhimu kuelewa kiwango cha ukosefu wa oksijeni wakati wa hali hizi. Hypoxemia ni kupungua kwa kiwango cha oksijeni chini ya 90%. Mtu anapokuwa na matatizo ya moyo au ya mapafu, kiwango cha oksijeni katika damu kinaweza kupungua sana kila anapopata ugonjwa wa kupumua. Matokeo ni kwamba, mwili waweza kuwa na mkazo zaidi usiku kucha. Ukosefu wa oksijeni kwa muda mrefu waweza kuwa na matokeo ya muda mfupi na wa muda mrefu. "Kama kuna tatizo la kuvuja maji ya tumbo, unaweza kusoma makala hii: ""Kwa nini mimi huvuja maji ya tumbo wakati wa kulala?""" Je, Kutoweza Kulala Kwa Usingizi Kunaweza Kukuua? Vipindi vya kupumua vinavyosababishwa na kukosa kupumua wakati wa usingizi ni nadra sana kusababisha kifo. Kwa maneno mengine, huwezi kuacha kupumua tu. Kwa upande mwingine, OSA inaweza kukupa hatari ya matatizo mbalimbali ya afya ya muda mfupi na ya muda mrefu, ambayo yanaweza kusababisha kifo cha ghafla. Kusitisha kupumua kwaweza kusababisha arrhythmia ya moyo, ikisababisha kusimamishwa kwa moyo. Kuna matokeo yanayowezekana ya kutetemeka kwa atria, mshtuko wa moyo (mshtuko wa moyo), na hata kiharusi. Matukio hayo huonekana kuongezeka asubuhi wakati usingizi wa REM ni wa kawaida zaidi na apnea ni ya uwezekano mkubwa zaidi. Kulingana na utafiti, watu wenye OSA wana uwezekano mkubwa wa kufa ghafla wakati wa kulala kati ya saa sita usiku na saa sita asubuhi. Ugonjwa huu unajulikana kama CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) na unaweza kupunguza hatari ya matatizo ya moyo kwa muda mrefu. Ugonjwa wa kupumua kwa muda mrefu unaosababishwa na usingizi umeonyesha kuwa una athari kubwa kwa afya. Inaweza kuongeza hatari ya kupata shinikizo la damu la juu (hypertension), kisukari, na ugonjwa wa moyo. Pia inahusishwa na matatizo ya kushuka moyo na kumbukumbu, kama vile ugonjwa wa Alzheimer. Inakufanya uwe na usingizi wakati wa mchana na yaweza kusababisha aksidenti. Ingawa OSA si mbaya yenyewe, matatizo mengi ambayo inaweza kusababisha yanaweza kuhatarisha maisha yako. Kwa hiyo, ni muhimu kutibu ugonjwa wa kupumzika kwa moyo. Ugonjwa wa kupumzika usingizi kwa watoto ni tatizo la kawaida la watoto na watu wazima, lakini dalili zake ni tofauti. Inawaathiri watoto kwa njia ileile inavyowaathiri watu wazima: usingizi wao unaharibiwa na wa hali ya chini. Hata hivyo, baadhi ya dalili za watoto zinaweza kugundua vibaya kuwa ni matatizo ya kujitahidi au upungufu wa uangalifu, na hivyo kuwa rahisi kwa wazazi kupuuza tatizo hili la kitiba. Kwa sababu wana hali ya kimwili ambayo huwazuia kupumua na kulala vizuri, watoto hawa wasio na furaha wanaweza kukaripiwa mara nyingi au kutumiwa dawa zenye kuchochea. Hata kama mtoto wako ana dalili za kupumua, huenda wazazi wakakosa kutambua kwamba mtoto wako ana apnea: - Muda mrefu bila kupumua - Kutofoka au kukohoa - Kutokwa na jasho kupita kiasi wakati wa usiku - Huenda wakamwona mtoto wao kuwa ni mtu anayekoroma. Mtoto huyu amekuwa akijaribu kupata hewa ya kutosha katika mapafu yake usiku kucha. Mtoto ana changamoto zifuatazo kama matokeo ya mkazo na uvimbe unaosababishwa katika mwili wote, pamoja na ukosefu wa usingizi wa kutosha: - Kuwa na shida kuamka - Matatizo na moyo - Kupata uzito duni na ukuaji - Matatizo na tabia au shuleni: - Siwezi kuzingatia kwa sababu ya ukosefu wa umakini. - Utendaji usiofaa au maombi ya shule - Ulemavu wa kujifunza Ni lini unapaswa kumwona daktari? Ikiwa wewe au mtu unayemjali ana mapumziko ya kupumua mara kwa mara, unapaswa kutafuta msaada wa kitiba. Usiweke matatizo ya kupumua wakati wa usingizi kuwa mambo madogo; yanaweza kusababisha matatizo makubwa baada ya muda. Dalili nyingine au dalili zaweza kuonyesha utambuzi huo, lakini uchunguzi wa usingizi tu ndio unaweza kutoa jibu la hakika. Kwa bahati nzuri, kuna njia nyingine za matibabu zinazofaa, kutia ndani kutumia mashine ya CPAP au kifaa cha mdomo. Zungumza na daktari wako kuhusu matibabu unayohitaji ili kuboresha kupumua na usingizi wako. Utashangilia kwamba ulichukua wakati wa kufanya hivyo. Ninapolala, kwa nini mimi huacha kupumua? Ni ugonjwa unaotokea mara nyingi ambapo mtu huacha kupumua kwa muda mfupi anapolala. Huenda ikawa ni kunung'unika kwa sauti kubwa, kupumua kwa muda mfupi, na kukosa pumzi mara kwa mara. Hii ina athari kubwa kwa afya ya jumla ya mtu na usingizi ubora. Apnea yaweza kumgusa mtu yeyote, ingawa ni ya kawaida zaidi miongoni mwa wanaume wazee wenye uzito kupita kiasi. Je, inawezekana kufa kutokana na kukosa kupumua wakati wa usingizi? La, ni vigumu kwa ugonjwa wa kupumua usingizi kusababisha kifo mtu anapolala. Kwa upande mwingine, huumiza mfumo wa moyo na mishipa ya damu na yaweza kuongeza hatari ya kifo cha ghafula cha moyo. Ikiwa hali hiyo haitatatuliwa, hatari ya kupatwa na kiharusi huongezeka. Sababu ya kukosa kupumua wakati wa usingizi katika mtu inapaswa kuzingatiwa hata wakati una maono mazuri. Ikiwa umegunduliwa kuwa na apnea na unateseka kutokana na kunung'unika, daktari anaweza kupendekeza upasuaji. Repopny anatumaini chapisho hili litakusaidia kulala vizuri na kupata misaada kutoka apnea ya usingizi.