Sleep apnea is the most characteristic symptom of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS), which affects up to 5% of the adult population.
Sleep apnea can cause hypoxemia (low oxygen in the blood), inhalation effort, and repeated micro-awakenings.
The severity is proportional to the frequency and duration of the apneas themselves.
The harmfulness of sleep apnea is due to its complications:
- Cardiovascular Disorders.
- Hypertension.
- Stroke.
- Atrial fibrillation.
- Heart failure.
The reduction of the pharyngeal muscles and the excess of soft tissue (especially adipose) are involved.
In the context of the Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome, snoring and daytime sleepiness or excessive weakness are also highlighted.
The material published is intended to allow quick access to general advice, suggestions and remedies that doctors and textbooks usually dispense for the treatment of Sleep Apnea; such indications must in no way substitute the opinion of the attending physician or other health specialists in the sector who are treating the patient.
What to do
The first thing to do, when in doubt of suffering from sleep apnea, is to undertake a diagnostic path.
- Contact your primary care physician.
- In the meantime, try to identify any signs and symptoms associated with sleep apnea:
- Snoring.
- Daytime weakness.
- Sudden bouts of sleep.
- Dry mouth upon waking.
- Altered mood.
- Poor concentration.
- Dysmnesia.
- Urinary incontinence.
- In children, growth retardation.
- Body mass index> 29.
- Neck circumference> 43 or 41cm (male and female).
- Deviation of the nasal septum, hypertrophy of the turbinates, tonsillar etc.
- Perform a polysomnography (usually requested directly from the general practitioner or from the OSAS specialized center). This exam is capable of:
- Detect apneee and hypopneas.
- Classify the disorder.
- Recognize the sleep phase in which they occur.
- At the discretion of the specialist, perform an electroencephalogram, detection of eye movements and limbs.
- If you are overweight, immediately reduce your body weight by 10%.
- Sleeping sideways.
- Have dinner long before sleep.
- Drink alcohol away from sleep and in any case in moderation.
- At the discretion of the specialist, take specific medications.
- Use specific machinery.
- If necessary, take advantage of surgery.
What NOT to do
- Ignore or underestimate sleep apnea.
- Gaining weight or becoming overweight.
- Sleeping on your back.
- Dine and drink alcohol in the shelter of sleep.
- Eat a lot before bedtime.
- Drink alcohol before sleep.
- Take sedatives.
- Smoke a lot.
- Avoid using the CPAP (nighttime ventilation device) prescribed by your doctor.
- Avoid surgery recommended by your doctor.
What to eat
Remembering to chew carefully, we emphasize the importance of:
- Consume small portions and, overall, a fairly light dinner.
- Prefer easily digestible foods:
- Low in fat, therefore only slightly seasoned; in the case of cheeses, choose lean ricotta and light cottage cheese.
- If protein, medium cooked (not rare and not even overcooked).
- If with a prevalence of carbohydrates, with the right amount of fiber (portions of less than 300g of vegetables, cereals and legumes, possibly shelled).
- Cooked with systems that facilitate digestion:
- Drowning.
- Steam powered.
- By pressure.
- Vacuum boiling.
- Vasocooking.
- In foil in the oven.
- In a pan over low heat.
- Little spiced.
- Not very salty.
What NOT to Eat
Before sleep it is necessary to avoid:
- Alcoholics.
- Big meals.
- Large portions of milk.
- Foods rich in fat, especially fast-food, fried or fried and junk foods in general.
- Foods too rich in indigestible fibers: for example large portions of stewed or raw legumes.
- Foods that delay stomach emptying, increasing the chances of acid juices rising (gastroesophageal reflux and regurgitation).
- Fizzy drinks that increase the amount of air present in the gastric pouch.
Natural Cures and Remedies
In addition to lifestyle correction (diet, sleeping position, etc.), natural remedies for sleep apnea are few and not too effective. Some are:
- Nasal patch: should increase the flow of air through the nostrils.
- Herbal teas or valerian extract: improves sleep quality but does not affect the mechanism of sleep apnea.
- Essential oils: they favor the dissolution of mucus and tend to inflame the mucous membranes of the upper airways. They can moderate snoring but they do not necessarily have a positive effect on OSAS.
Pharmacological treatment
Stimulants that act on the symptom of daytime lethargy by promoting night rest; do not intervene on the cause:
- Modafinil (e.g. Provigil).
- Theophylline (e.g. Aminomal Elisir, Diffumal, Respicur).
- Caffeine citrate (for example Nymusa).
- Amphetamine and Dextramphetamine (e.g. DextroStat, Adderall, Dexedrine).
Prevention
Prevention of sleep apnea, OSAS and complications involves:
- Avoid overweight.
- Eventually, lose weight with a balanced low-calorie diet and physical motor activity.
- Eat little in the evening and avoid counterproductive practices (alcohol, cigarettes, etc.).
- Carry out the most appropriate diagnostic analyzes.
- Take advantage of drug therapies and other medical treatments.
- If necessary, surgically remove upper airway obstructions.
Medical Treatments
The medical treatments recommended for sleep apnea are:
- Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP): is a specific machine that produces forced air. It should be worn like a mask and is connected to a small compressor. It facilitates nocturnal breathing even when the airways are constricted.
- Surgery of anatomical defects concerning the upper airways: these are of ENT or maxillofacial competence. The most common are:
- Septoplasty.
- Reduction of turbinates.
- Tonsillectomy.
- Adenoidectomy.
