Having a good night’s sleep is one of the essential steps to repair the human body. This March 18th, World Sleep Day is celebrated, with the aim of promoting awareness of the importance of sleeping well for health and quality of life.
The most common sleep disorders are insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea and restless legs syndrome, as well as insufficient sleep and delayed sleep phases.
In this Friday’s edition (18) of the Medical Correspondentfrom Novo Dia, neurosurgeon Fernando Gomes explained the main signs of breathing problems during sleep.
Obstructive sleep apnea is a serious disorder, defined as the interruption of breathing for ten seconds or more during the night. In addition to shortness of breath, the most common signs of sleep apnea are loud snoring, daytime tiredness and high blood pressure.
It is estimated that over 936 million people worldwide may suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, with many cases undiagnosed. Without proper treatment, the condition can lead to the development of hypertension, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and depression.
The otolaryngologist Danilo Sguillar, coordinator of the Department of Sleep Medicine of the Brazilian Association of Otorhinolaryngology and Cervico-Facial Surgery, recommended behavioral changes that can bring improvements to the clinical picture.
“What we recommend is that the patient sleep on his side. The belly-up position can lead to snoring and apnea. For those patients who are overweight, we recommend that these excesses be lost so that the deposition of fat in the neck region does not narrow this region and lead to more snoring and apnea”, he said.
According to the doctor, patients should seek a nightly diet based on vegetables and proteins, avoiding excess carbohydrates that can cause poor sleep quality. In addition, medications that induce body relaxation can also favor sleep apnea.
Harmful effects of stopping breathing
Neurosurgeon Fernando Gomes explained that the interruption of breathing, even for brief moments, can lead to the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the body. The impacts can be seen in different organs. In the brain, for example, blood vessels can dilate, leading to increased pressure in the skull.
“Blood pressure gets high, trying to wake up the individual because, as there is this accumulation of carbon dioxide, something is not cool, more adrenaline is released into the blood circulation itself and this can cause this increase in blood pressure and in the long term this It’s quite complicated,” he says.
According to him, there is a correlation between sleep apnea and body mass index. Obesity can hinder airflow in the glottis region, causing apnea and symptoms such as snoring. “When the soft tissues of this part end up vibrating with entry and exit, we have the production of snoring. But apnea is characterized by the cessation of this gas exchange,” he explains.
Sleep apnea treatment includes sleep hygiene techniques, which include creating habits such as turning off lights, reducing food consumption at night, avoiding exposure to screens about two hours before going to bed, reducing noise. environment and watch out for excessive caffeine consumption.
Research shows harm from lack of sleep
A study carried out in Germany, France and the United Kingdom, with the participation of more than 3 thousand people between 18 and 65 years old, revealed that only 47% of respondents classify their sleep as good or excellent, which means that more than half of the population heard need help sleeping.
The research carried out by Emma – The Sleep Company aimed to increase knowledge about sleep habits and problems, in addition to awakening the population about the importance of sleeping well for health.
Among the key findings is the fact that 37% of respondents say they have a lot of trouble sleeping, 52% say that when they finally do fall asleep, they often wake up during the night, and 51% of respondents report sleep impacts caused by anxiety.
Other impacts evaluated in the research were the reports of 55% of people of drowsiness when completing daily tasks, at least once a week, in addition to difficulties in controlling emotions after a sleepless night, pointed out by a quarter of the participants. In addition, 18% of respondents said they feel anxious after a sleepless night, revealing possible mental health impacts.
Neuroscientist Verena Senn, Head of Sleep Research at Emma – The Sleep Company, explains that neglecting sleep routines can be harmful to health.
“Sleep plays a vital role in keeping us fit and healthy. When you get good quality sleep each night, you tend to wake up being the best version of yourself, having given your mind and body time to recharge, and then waking up feeling refreshed.” in a statement.
Source: CNN Brasil
