Snoring | Snoring isn't always sleep apnea. Obese individuals are at high risk for obstructed airways.

https://hk.appledaily.com/lifestyle/20210309/FUWUQQIBN5CGLMW5JQKVR4YVCQ/

Do you have snoring problems? Do your family members often complain that your loud snoring affects their sleep? If you frequently experience severe snoring, waking up startled during sleep, daytime fatigue, or sleepiness, you should be aware of whether you might have sleep apnea.

Three Types of Sleep Apnea, Mostly Obstructive

Sleep apnea is broadly divided into three main types: obstructive, central, and mixed. Most patients suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, often due to obesity, where excess fat accumulates in the upper airway, preventing air passage and leading to apnea. However, even lean individuals can develop obstructive sleep apnea due to congenital factors such as a recessed or small jaw, an enlarged tongue, or large tonsils, which narrow the airway and cause apnea. Additionally, as people age, the relaxation of soft tissues and muscles can increase airway obstruction, thereby raising the risk of sleep apnea.

Central sleep apnea is less common, caused by the brain's central nervous system failing to send signals to control breathing, which can be triggered by certain medications or strokes. Individuals with mixed sleep apnea have both obstructive and central sleep apnea.

During sleep, the muscles and soft tissues of our upper airway relax. Combined with environmental factors that narrow the airway, the passage of air creates vibrations that result in snoring. Generally, the more severe the obstruction, the louder the snoring. When the airway is completely blocked, it leads to apnea. Snoring is one symptom of sleep apnea, but snoring does not necessarily mean you have sleep apnea.

 

 

Sleep Apnea Affects Mental State, Long-Term Hypoxia Harms Health

Sleep apnea patients frequently wake up startled during sleep due to apnea, preventing them from entering deep sleep, leading to daytime fatigue. This can cause difficulty concentrating at work and even drowsiness while driving or operating machinery, increasing the risk of accidents and injuries. Patients also suffer from long-term hypoxia during sleep, which impairs cardiopulmonary function and increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. In severe cases, there is even a risk of sudden death during sleep. Besides their own long-term poor sleep quality, the loud snoring of patients can also disturb family members' sleep, causing distress.

If you or your bed partner have been consistently troubled by snoring and experience problems such as daytime fatigue, sleepiness, or inability to concentrate, it is recommended to seek a doctor's assessment for risk factors as soon as possible, and even arrange a sleep study to analyze your sleep, in order to diagnose sleep apnea and determine the appropriate treatment.

Authored by: Dr. Mandy Chau (Hong Kong Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons)

Editor: Anthony Chow