Four out of every hundred Spaniards have serious problems falling asleep when sharing a bed with a pathological snorer, that is, one who, in addition to annoying guttural sounds, suffers respiratory pauses lasting more than 10 seconds. This respiratory disorder is known as sleep apnea and should not go through simple snoring, as it can lead to severe complications of all kinds. Sleep apnea had previously been linked to heart disease and cognitive decline. New research now reveals that this chronic problem doubles the risk of stroke and increases the incidence of cancer.
The most common sleep apnea is the obstruction of the air passage to the lungs , caused when the upper airways are blocked by soft tissue, cutting off oxygen. This respiratory disorder, in addition to causing poor quality sleep that worsens our physical appearance and makes us look uglier, increases the risk of cardiovascular problems and work accidents. Based on this research, we must add vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s to the long-term disorders associated with loud snoring, which can reach 90 decibels, and continuous respiratory pauses, whose duration can range from a few seconds to a few minutes.
This syndrome is not easy to diagnose, since the symptoms occur during sleep, which is usually detected by a third party . However, it also has daytime symptoms; excessive drowsiness that causes mood changes and some cognitive impairment. Obstructive sleep apnea is more common in overweight people who are used to sleeping on their backs.
Therefore, it is convenient to remember that sleep disturbances should not be underestimated, since they can become a real risk factor for our health .
