A new campaign is circulating in the United States, with the aim of raising awareness that sleep apnea is “More Than Snoring” — the name given to the collaborative project created by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
The importance of this type of action is to encourage those who have the problem to seek treatment, thus avoiding major complications. “Taking care of this health issue is important, as obstructive sleep apnea and excessive daytime sleepiness can have serious implications for the patient. It is believed that they act as a risk factor for other conditions, such as cardiovascular, endocrine, metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases”, explains Gleison Guimarães, a specialist in Pneumology from the UFRJ and the Brazilian Society of Pneumology and Phthisiology (SBPT).
With alarming consequences, obstructive sleep apnea affects almost 30 million adults in the United States alone, with 80% of cases going undiagnosed, costing the country more than US$ 149 billion per year in health care expenses, in addition to a loss of productivity in companies, accidents at work and vehicles.
“When someone does not sleep enough or adequately, it is common that the next day that person is in a greater state of fatigue, mainly because there has not been the necessary rest and the body still needs to recover. As a result, this individual does not have the same ability to carry out his personal and professional activities, and may make mistakes that he would not make if he were completely rested. On the other hand, a restorative night’s sleep is essential to increase anyone’s performance, improving productivity and the results presented”, completes the specialist.
The main warning signs that a person is experiencing the problem are snoring and excessive daytime sleepiness, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and even depression. Therefore, at the first symptom, you need to talk to your doctor, to assess the need for diagnostic tests and indication of the best treatment.
In this context, there are different possibilities to treat obstructive apnea. One of them is the use of the CPAP device, positive airway pressure, which makes use of air pressure levels provided by a mask and keeps the airway open during use. In addition, oral appliances, surgery, weight loss, and other therapies can help. “Neurological disorders, tiredness, drowsiness, irritability, anxiety, depression, sexual problems and stress are common symptoms of poorly slept nights or lack of adequate sleep, which increases the risk of errors and accidents in the most diverse workplaces”, account Dr. Gleison.
In addition, cardiovascular diseases are an important consequence of poorly slept nights, in addition to accounting for the leading cause of death in the world, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). To avoid them, there are a series of actions recommended by doctors and highlighted by the guidelines of the American Heart Association in a list called Life´s Essential 7. Until recently, these pillars were seven: stop smoking, eat better, stay healthy active, control weight and blood pressure, control cholesterol and lower blood sugar. In June of this year, however, the item “sleep quality” was added to the list.
Read also: Sleep Apnea May Be Alert to Heart Problems
By Gleison Guimarães, specialist in Pulmonology from UFRJ and the Brazilian Society of Pulmonology and Phthisiology (SBPT), specialist in Sleep Medicine from the Brazilian Association of Sleep Medicine (ABMS) and also in Intensive Care Medicine from the Brazilian Association of Intensive Medicine (AMIB) ).