Sleep apnea: What exactly is this disease of shortness of breath during sleep?

Shortness of breath during sleep – in medical parlance what is called sleep apnea – is a disease and doctors think it is a killer for humans.

The most common cause of death in Indian musician Bappi Lahiri has been attributed to obstructive sleep apnea, the most common type of sleep apnea.

But most people have little idea about this disease. Suffering from this disease, many times the sufferer does not understand.

Doctors in Dhaka say that the number of people suffering from sleep apnea in Bangladesh is increasing at an alarming rate.

What is sleep apnea?
For those who have sleep apnea, frequent sleep disturbances occur due to shortness of breath.

Professor Mohammad Abdullah, the founding director of the National Nose-Ear-Throat Institute, says that when a person has sleep apnea, the person starts breathing very loudly within a short time of falling asleep.

He said that when the breathing speed of the person increased a lot, at one stage the breathing stopped suddenly. However, after stopping breathing for a while, it started again.

This is called apnea, said Professor Abdullah.

But the question is, when someone is breathing loudly in their sleep, why does breathing suddenly stop completely?

In response to this question, Professor Abdullah said that the air that comes out when you breathe in again and again, basically releases carbon dioxide from the body.

He mentioned that when the level of carbon dioxide decreases, the central nervous system in a person’s body stops the process of breathing.

Then the level of carbon dioxide in the body’s central nervous system rises again due to shortness of breath, then the nervous system is stimulated again and breathing returns.

Professor Abdullah said that the situation is very complicated and in this case one person is often killed.

What is the experience of suffering from apnea?

A woman working in a private bank in Dhaka has been receiving regular treatment for this disease for the last two years.

He told BBC Bangla on condition of anonymity that his body weight increased a lot compared to his height at the university level. Then he can understand snoring in his sleep and breathing loudly.

But at that time his breath would not stop. But one night three years ago, the woman noticed that she was suddenly out of breath, so she woke up and sat up in bed.

Then sometimes his sleep would be disturbed in such situations. Another night he had a completely different kind of experience.

The woman was saying that when she suddenly stopped breathing in her sleep, she woke up. But he felt that he did not have the strength to get up and even speak from his bed.

After a while, his breathing returned to normal.

After that, he has been undergoing treatment for two years. He is suffering from apnea due to brain or neuro problems – this is what the doctor identified.

Now he is a little better with regular treatment. However, he will have to take treatment for life.

What are the types of apnea?

Professor Mohammad Abdullah, a specialist in nasal, ear and throat diseases, says that obstruction or obstruction of breathing is called obstructive sleep apnea.

This can happen with swollen tonsils in the throat. Swelling of the muscles at the junction of the airways and the throat is often called adenoids. In addition, many times the muscles inside the nose become larger.

These problems interfere with breathing, which is known as obstructive sleep apnea. Older people and children who are overweight or obese are more likely to suffer from this obstructive sleep apnea.

According to Professor Abdullah, heart, brain and neuro problems can lead to various complications in a person’s central nervous system and then the person may suffer from sleep apnea. This problem is often complicated and serious.

However, there is a risk of death in both types of apnea. Professor Mohammad Abdullah says that when you are overweight, the throat and surrounding areas become narrower around the trachea during sleep. In addition, the nasal muscles often become larger.

In these cases you have to breathe with your mouth in your sleep and then you have to snore.

That is why it cannot be called sleep apnea. However, people suffering from sleep apnea also call nose.

They usually have to breathe loudly during sleep and sleep is disturbed due to shortness of breath.

How do you know if you are suffering from sleep apnea?

Professor Mohammad Abdullah said that people with any type of sleep apnea have problems with sleep, so many people do not understand it.

But if someone sleeps next to that person, he may understand. If the person sleeping next to the patient notices the patient’s symptoms and expresses his suspicions, then arrangements should be made to consult a doctor.

Doctors have said that apnea can now be properly tested in Bangladesh through police monography or slip test.

Professor Abdullah said that if the disease is not treated, it puts pressure on the brain, heart and kidneys. Then all kinds of diseases including high blood pressure and heart disease can occur.

And if you have these diseases already, it will make the situation worse.

The disease interferes with sleep at night, so it has a negative impact on the daily activities of the infected person, the doctor said.

What is the treatment of Sleep apnea?

Obstructive sleep apnea is a condition in which there are obstructions in the center of the airways – they need to be identified and then removed.

In this case, the problem can be solved in a short time.

But since complex sleep apnea is caused by many other serious problems in the body, doctors say that it can be treated for life.

Is it possible to prevent Sleep apnea?

Physicians believe that this disease can be avoided with caution. However, in this case, they look to suggest some action.

First, weight should be controlled according to body height.

Second, you need to exercise regularly. And thirdly, you have to eat a balanced diet.

Doctors also said that it is possible to stay well if you take the advice of a doctor quickly if you stop breathing repeatedly during sleep.