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Healthy sleep has an important function for a strong immune system, which is the main player of the coronavirus treatment. Experts draw attention to the danger of sleep apnea, which is manifested by a severe snoring, causing the breathing to stop for a while during sleep and insidiously fighting the immune system.

*** This release is originally published in Turkish.
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ISTANBUL (TR) - Sleep apnea can cause a variety of health problems, ranging from obesity to fatigue, concentration disorders to sexual reluctance, rhythm disorders to high blood pressure and even heart attacks. About 1 billion people in the world are estimated to have sleep apnea, while according to Turkish Statistical Institute’s data, there are 1.5 million sleep apnea patients in Turkey. The incidence of the disease in our country is 5 percent, while the number of patients who cannot be registered is estimated to be quite large. The possibility of having sleep apnea, which can be diagnosed by people of all ages from childhood, is 4 times more in men than in women. But the biggest risk begins after the age of 40. Obesity is one of the main triggers of this disease, while the likelihood of it occurring among women entering menopause also increases due to hormonal reasons and weight gain.

Stressing that sleep apnea, which manifests itself with excessive snoring and causes breathing to stop during sleep, is a very dangerous disease that leads to sudden deaths, Dr. Tuğrul Saygı made the following warnings regarding the issue:

“Sleep, which has a great role for a strong immune system, functions as an important shield protecting our body from infections. While irregular sleep causes serious damage to the immune system, even a single night's sleeplessness invites diseases. When we think that sleep apnea causes breathlessness during sleep even in a healthy person, it would not be wrong to say that patients with the coronavirus have a great function in the treatment process. When we look especially in terms of intubated patients with chronic diabetes or obesity, if these patients also have sleep apnea, the lungs cannot handle the situation. Recurring breathing pauses between 10 and 20 seconds during sleep decreases the amount of oxygen in the blood and increases the amount of carbon dioxide. For this reason, those who have complaints of snoring that are not considered very important should definitely apply to a specialist.”

“There is a direct link between obesity and sleep apnea”

Reminding that obesity patients are among those with the highest risk of death in the coronavirus treatment process, Dr. Tuğrul Saygı said, “There is a direct link between obesity and sleep apnea. Studies reveal that sleep apnea also increases as obesity increases, especially in women. While it causes sudden deaths during night sleep, it can lead to traffic and work accidents that can be fatal, especially due to daytime sleepiness. It can cause learning difficulties in children along with extreme fatigue and forgetfulness.”

Try to avoid alcohol and smoking!

Dr. Tuğrul Saygı also summarized the risk factors that vary depending on many factors. Saygı said, “Nasal congestion can cause sleep apnea by affecting breathing negatively. Overweight and obesity are among the biggest causes of sleep apnea. The muscle mass that increases with the advancement of age causes sleep apnea by narrowing the airway. Anatomical disorders such as the lower jaw being back, the neck being short and thick, and the problems in the adenoid, large tonsils, soft palate and tongue base increase the risk. Alcohol, smoking, using sedatives or sleeping pills are also among the risk factors. Chronic diseases, thyroid glands not functioning adequately, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, paralysis in the vocal cords.”

"Don't underestimate snoring!"

Underlining that excessive snoring during sleep is ignored in the general public, but it is an important argument for the diagnosis of sleep apnea, Dr. Tuğrul Saygı listed the symptoms of sleep apnea as follows:

-Sudden awakenings with a feeling of suffocation while sleeping

-Loud snoring or wheezing during sleep

-Excessive sweating or restlessness while sleeping

-Desire to sleep all day long

-Concentration difficulty

-Waking up tired and weak in the morning

Sleep apnea triggers other diseases

Saygı pointed out that sleep apnea can cause different ailments if left untreated, and it is based on lack of oxygen. Someone with sleep apnea is exposed to a lack of oxygen for at least 7-8 hours every day. This affects our body deeply. Heart disease and hypertension are also observed in most sleep apnea patients. It also badly affects psychology and can cause depression. As a matter of fact, severe patients with severe sleep apnea may worry that they might suffocate and die in their sleep.

The most comfortable method to use in treatment, snoring prosthesis

Mentioning that different surgical and non-surgical treatment methods can be applied in the treatment of sleep apnea according to the degree and course of the disease, snoring treatment specialist Dr. Tuğrul Saygı gave information on the subject and said, “Methods such as snoring pillow, throat exercise, nasal bands, herbal oil and tea are considered as temporary solutions that do not cure sleep apnea, although they provide instant relief. CPAP mask, another method used in the treatment of snoring and sleep apnea, is often described as difficult to use by patients. Surgical methods such as correcting the nasal bone or cartilage cannot be applied to every patient because of the high probability of recurrence. Snoring prosthesis, which is a non-surgical method, is among the methods we use most in treatment. These prostheses, which are the most comfortable method to use, are the primary choice of patients. Patients who are afraid to come to clinics physically due to the coronavirus pandemic can request support via horlamatedavisi.com."