Nearly 1 Billion Worldwide have Sleep Apnea, a new data analysis presented by ResMed this week at the ATS 2018 International Conference indicates that the prevalence of sleep apnea impacts more than 936 million people worldwide—nearly 10 times greater than previous estimates.
The study “Global Prevalence of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)” was conducted by an international panel of researchers seeking to provide a clear scope of the impact of the chronic sleep-disordered breathing condition. The previous estimation of OSA prevalence (100 million) came from a 2007 World Health Organization study that used methods and data available at the time. By analyzing technology improvements in detecting OSA and underreported statistics from other areas of the world, this latest study depicts an impacted population significantly larger than previously identified.
“The research and findings are a revelation in sleep apnea research and represent a vastly underreported major public health issue,” says Adam Benjafield, ResMed vice president of Medical Affairs and lead study researcher, in a release. “This new study demonstrates a need for expanded awareness around the diagnosis and treatment of OSA worldwide.”
ResMed chief medical officer Carlos M. Nunez, MD, says, “This study should encourage physicians to talk with their patients about how sleep affects our overall health. It should also cause more people to ask themselves, ‘Do I or my bed partner have this?’ Those who have sleep apnea don’t often realize they have it and, therefore, don’t realize they can do something to mitigate the resulting chronic fatigue or its more harmful long-term health risks. And sleep apnea isn’t just a disease for older, overweight men, as once thought. It affects people of all ages, all ethnic and racial groups, all states of health, and is not gender-specific. In fact, nearly half of newly diagnosed patients are female.”
Just about everyone snores occasionally, and it’s usually not something to worry about. But if you regularly snore at night, it can disrupt the quality of your sleep—leading to daytime fatigue, irritability, and increased health problems. And if your snoring keeps your partner awake, it can create major relationship problems too. Thankfully, sleeping in separate bedrooms isn’t the only remedy for snoring. There are many effective solutions that can help both you and your partner sleep better at night and overcome the relationship problems caused when one person snores.
What causes snoring?
Snoring happens when you can’t move air freely through your nose and throat during sleep. This makes the surrounding tissues vibrate, which produces the familiar snoring sound. People who snore often have too much throat and nasal tissue or “floppy” tissue that is more prone to vibrate. The position of your tongue can also get in the way of smooth breathing.
Since people snore for different reasons, it’s important to understand the causes behind your snoring. Once you understand why you snore, you can find the right solutions to a quieter, deeper sleep—for both you and your partner.
Common causes of snoring
Age. As you reach middle age and beyond, your throat becomes narrower, and the muscle tone in your throat decreases. While you can’t do anything about growing older, lifestyle changes, new bedtime routines, and throat exercises can all help to prevent snoring.
Being overweight or out of shape. Fatty tissue and poor muscle tone contribute to snoring. Even if you’re not overweight in general, carrying excess weight just around your neck or throat can cause snoring. Exercising and losing weight can sometimes be all it takes to end your snoring.
The way you’re built. Men have narrower air passages than women and are more likely to snore. A narrow throat, a cleft palate, enlarged adenoids, and other physical attributes that contribute to snoring are often hereditary. Again, while you have no control over your build or gender, you can control your snoring with the right lifestyle changes, bedtime routines, and throat exercises.
Nasal and sinus problems. Blocked airways or a stuffy nose make inhalation difficult and create a vacuum in the throat, leading to snoring.
Alcohol, smoking, and medications. Alcohol intake, smoking, and certain medications, such as tranquilizers like lorazepam (Ativan) and diazepam (Valium), can increase muscle relaxation leading to more snoring.
Sleep posture. Sleeping flat on your back causes the flesh of your throat to relax and block the airway. Changing your sleep position can help.
Ruling out more serious causes
Snoring could indicate sleep apnea, a serious sleep disorder where your breathing is briefly interrupted many times each night. Normal snoring doesn’t interfere with the quality of your sleep as much as sleep apnea, so if you’re suffering from extreme fatigue and sleepiness during the day, it could be an indication of sleep apnea or another sleep-related breathing problem. Call your doctor if you or your sleep partner have noticed any of the following red flags:
You snore loudly and heavily and are tired during the day.
You stop breathing, gasp, or choke during sleep.
You fall asleep at inappropriate times, such as during a conversation or a meal.
Linking the cause of your snoring to the cure
Monitoring your snoring for patterns can often help you pinpoint the reasons why you snore, what makes it worse, and how to go about stopping it. To identify important patterns, it helps to keep a sleep diary. If you have a sleep partner, they can help you fill it in. If you sleep alone, set up a camera to record yourself at night.
HOW you snore reveals WHY you snore
Type of snoring
What it may indicate
Closed-mouth snoring
May indicate a problem with your tongue
Open-mouth snoring
May be related to the tissues in your throat
Snoring when sleeping on your back
Probably mild snoring—improved sleep habits and lifestyle changes may be effective cures
Snoring in all sleep positions
Can mean your snoring is more severe and may require a more comprehensive treatment
Self-help strategies for snoring
There are so many bizarre anti-snoring devices available on the market today, with more being added all the time, that finding the right solution for your snoring can seem like a daunting task. Unfortunately, many of these devices are not backed up by research, or they work by simply keeping you awake at night. There are, however, plenty of proven techniques that can help eliminate snoring. Not every remedy is right for every person, though, so putting a stop to your snoring may require patience, lifestyle changes, and a willingness to experiment with different solutions.
Bedtime remedies to help you stop snoring
Change your sleeping position. Elevating your head four inches may ease breathing and encourage your tongue and jaw to move forward. There are specifically designed pillows available to help prevent snoring by making sure your neck muscles are not crimped.
Sleep on your side instead of your back. Try attaching a tennis ball to the back of a pajama top or T-shirt (you can sew a sock to the back of your top then put a tennis ball inside). If you roll over onto your back, the discomfort of the tennis ball will cause you to turn back onto your side. Alternatively, wedge a pillow stuffed with tennis balls behind your back. After a while, sleeping on your side will become a habit and you can dispense with the tennis balls.
Try an anti-snoring mouth appliance. These devices, which resemble an athlete’s mouth guard, help open your airway by bringing your lower jaw and/or your tongue forward during sleep. While a dentist-made appliance can be expensive, cheaper do-it-yourself kits are also available.
Clear nasal passages. If you have a stuffy nose, rinse sinuses with saline before bed. Using a neti pot, nasal decongestant, or nasal strips can also help you breathe more easily while sleeping. If you have allergies, reduce dust mites and pet dander in your bedroom or use an allergy medication.
Keep bedroom air moist. Dry air can irritate membranes in the nose and throat, so if swollen nasal tissues are the problem, a humidifier may help.
Lifestyle changes to help you stop snoring
Lose weight. Losing even a little bit of weight can reduce fatty tissue in the back of the throat and decrease, or even stop, snoring.
Quit smoking. If you smoke, your chances of snoring are high. Smoking irritates the membranes in the nose and throat which can block the airways and cause snoring. While quitting is easier said than done, it can bring quick snoring relief.
Avoid alcohol, sleeping pills, and sedatives because they relax the muscles in the throat and interfere with breathing. Also talk to your doctor about any prescription medications you’re taking, as some encourage a deeper level of sleep which can make snoring worse.
Be careful what you eat before bed. Research shows that eating large meals or consuming certain foods such as dairy or soymilk right before bedtime can make snoring worse.
Exercise in general can reduce snoring, even if it doesn’t lead to weight loss. That’s because when you tone various muscles in your body, such as your arms, legs, and abs, this leads to toning the muscles in your throat, which in turn can lead to less snoring. There are also specific exercises you can do to strengthen the muscles in your throat.
Six anti-snoring throat exercises
Studies show that by pronouncing certain vowel sounds and curling the tongue in specific ways, muscles in the upper respiratory tract are strengthened and therefore reduce snoring. The following exercises can help
Repeat each vowel (a-e-i-o-u) out loud for three minutes a few times a day.
Place the tip of your tongue behind your top front teeth. Slide your tongue backwards for three minutes a day.
Close your mouth and purse your lips. Hold for 30 seconds.
With your mouth open, move your jaw to the right and hold for 30 seconds. Repeat on the left side.
With your mouth open, contract the muscle at the back of your throat repeatedly for 30 seconds. Tip: Look in the mirror to see the uvula (“the hanging ball”) move up and down.
For a more fun exercise, simply spend time singing. Singing can increase muscle control in the throat and soft palate, reducing snoring caused by lax muscles.
Medical treatment for snoring
If you’ve tried self-help solutions for snoring without success, don’t give up hope. There are medical options that could make all the difference. New advances in the treatment of snoring are developing all the time and devices are becoming more effective and comfortable.
Talk to your primary physician or to an otolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat doctor or ENT). Even if they recommend something that was uncomfortable or didn’t work in the past, that doesn’t mean the same will be true now.
Medical cures for snoring
Your physician or otolaryngologist may recommend a medical device or surgical procedure such as:
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP). To keep your airway open during sleep, a machine at your bedside blows pressurized air into a mask that you wear over your nose or face.
Laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP) uses a laser to shorten the uvula (the hanging soft tissue at the back of the throat) and to make small cuts in the soft palate either side. As the cuts heal, the surrounding tissues stiffen to prevent the vibrations that trigger snoring.
Palatal implants or the Pillar procedure, involves inserting small plastic implants into the soft palate which help prevent collapse of the soft palate that can cause snoring.
Somnoplasty uses low levels of radiofrequency heat to remove tissues of the uvula and soft palate that vibrate during snoring. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia and takes about 30 minutes.
Custom-fitted dental devices and lower jaw-positioners help open your airway by bringing your lower jaw or your tongue forward during sleep. For best results, you will need to see a dentist who specializes in these devices.
Surgical procedures such as Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP), Thermal Ablation Palatoplasty (TAP), tonsillectomy, and adenoidectomy, increase the size of your airway by surgically removing tissues or correcting abnormalities.
Snoring and your relationship
No matter how much you love each other, snoring can put a strain on your relationship. If you’re the one lying awake at night as your partner snores away, it’s easy to start feeling resentful. And if you’re the snorer, you may feel helpless, guilty, or even irritated with your partner for harping on about something you can’t control.
When snoring is a problem, relationship tension can grow in the following ways:
Sleeping in separate rooms. While this may be a solution for some couples, it can also take a toll on emotional and physical intimacy. And if you’re the one snoring, you might feel lonely, isolated, and unfairly punished.
Irritability due to sleep loss. Disrupted sleep isn’t just a problem for the non-snorer. Snoring is caused by disordered breathing, which means the snorer’s sleep quality also suffers. Poor sleep takes a toll on mood, thinking skills, judgment, and your ability to manage stress and conflict. This can explain why communication often breaks down when you and your partner try talking about the problem.
Partner resentment. When a non-snorer feels he or she has done everything possible to sleep through the night (ear plugs, sound machines, etc.) but the snorer doesn’t take any action to combat the snoring, it can lead to resentment. Working as a team to find a snoring cure can prevent future fights.
If you value your relationship, make it your priority to find a snoring cure so you can both sleep soundly. Working together to stop snoring can even be an opportunity to improve the quality of your bond and become more deeply connected.
Communicating with a partner who snores
So, you love everything about your partner, except their snoring. It’s normal. Even the most patient amongst us will draw the line at sleep deprivation. But no matter how much sleep you lose due to someone snoring, it’s important to handle the problem sensitively. It’s common to be irritable when sleep loss is an issue, but try reining in your frustration. You want to attack the snoring problem—not your sleep partner. Remember that your partner likely feels vulnerable, defensive, and even a little embarrassed about their snoring.
Time your talk carefully. Avoid middle of the night or early morning discussions when you’re both feeling exhausted.
Keep in mind it’s not intentional. Although it’s easy to feel like a victim when you lose sleep, remember that your partner isn’t keeping you awake on purpose.
Avoid lashing out. Sure, sleep deprivation is aggravating and can be damaging to your health, but try your best to approach the problem in a non-confrontational way.
Beware of bitterness. Make sure that latching onto snoring is not an outlet for other hidden resentments you’re harboring.
Use humor and playfulness to bring up the subject of snoring without hurting your partner’s feelings. Laughing about it can ease tension. Just make sure it doesn’t turn into too much teasing.
Dealing with complaints about your snoring
It’s common to be caught off guard—not to mention to feel a little hurt—when a partner complains about your snoring. After all, you probably didn’t even realize it was happening. And although it might seem silly that snoring can cause such relationship turmoil, it’s a common and a very real problem.
If you dismiss your partner’s concerns and refuse to try to solve your snoring problem, you’re sending a clear message to your partner that you don’t care about their needs. This could mean your relationship is in trouble, and that’s a bigger problem than the snoring.
Keep the following in mind as you and your partner work together to find a solution to your snoring:
Snoring is a physical issue. It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. Like a pulled muscle or a common cold, improving the condition is in your hands.
Avoid taking it personally. Try not to take your partner’s frustration as a personal critique or attack. Your partner loves you, just not the snoring.
Take your partner seriously. Avoid minimizing complaints. Lack of sleep is a health hazard and can make your partner feel miserable all day.
Make it clear that you prioritize the relationship. If you and your partner have this understanding, you’ll both do what it takes to find a cure for the snoring.
Address inappropriate behavior. Although sleep deprivation can lead to moodiness and irritability, let your partner know that it’s not okay for them to throw an elbow jab or snap at you when you’re snoring.
Authors: Jeanne Segal, Ph.D., Melinda Smith, M.A., Lawrence Robinson, and Robert Segal, M.A. Last updated: October 2018.
Obstructive Sleep Apnoea is the most common type of sleep apnoea, making up 84% of sleep apnoea diagnoses.1
In most cases of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea, air stops flowing to the lungs because of a blockage (or obstruction) in the upper airway-that is, in the nose or throat.
The upper airway could become blocked due to:
The muscles relaxing too much during sleep, which blocks sufficient air from getting through*
The weight of your neck narrowing the airway
Inflamed tonsils, or other temporary reasons
Structural reasons, like the shape of the nose, neck or jaw
Central Sleep Apnoea (CSA)
Central Sleep Apnoea (CSA) is rare in general,1 and can be caused by certain drug therapies used in pain management, such as opioids, as well as heart failure, or a disease or injury involving the brain, such as:
Stroke
Brain tumor
Viral brain infection
Chronic respiratory disease
In cases of CSA the airway is actually open but air stops flowing to the lungs because no effort is made to breathe. This is basically because the communication between the brain and the body has been lost, so the automatic action of breathing stops.
Those with CSA don’t often snore, so the condition sometimes goes unnoticed.
Noticeably, in case of heart failure, CSA is very frequent, with up to 1 patient over 4 being affected.2 CSA also has a specific pattern in Heart Failure, known as Cheyne-Stokes Respiration (CSR).
People with CSR have an abnormal, cyclic pattern of breathing that alternates deeper and sometimes faster breathing with a temporary stop in breathing (apnoea).
Together, Central Sleep Apnoea and Cheyne-Stokes respiration are known as CSA-CSR, which occurs in 30 to 50% of people with heart failure.1
Mixed sleep apnoea
This is a combination of both OSA (where there is a blockage or obstruction in the upper airway) and CSA (where no effort is made to breathe). Your doctor can help you understand more about this if you need to.
If you have any concerns that you may have any type of sleep apnoea, please consult your doctor.
To find out what could be affecting your ability to breathe properly, it’s helpful to first understand what normal breathing looks like.
Breathing is automatic
It might sound simple, but it’s important to realize that breathing is not something we have to consciously remember to do. It’s a reflex that is controlled by nerve cells in the brain and spine.
The upper and lower airways
The respiratory system is made up of 2 parts: the upper and lower airways.
Upper airway
Lower airway
The lower airway is protected by the chest cavity, which also contains the heart and lungs.
The breathing process
What starts the breathing process is actually the effort you make to draw air into your body.
When you breathe, the air entering your nose is cleaned, warmed and moistened. It then flows through your trachea, your bronchi and down to the alveoli of your lungs.
As you inhale and exhale, your chest and ribs expand and contract to allow for the air going in and out.
Abnormal breathing
As you can imagine, the everyday act of breathing can become very difficult if you have a respiratory condition that affects the airways, muscles, nerves, reflexes or organs involved in breathing.
Diabetes and sleep apnea are strongly associated with one another. Clinical research shows that as many as 48% of people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes have also been diagnosed with sleep apnea. Even more striking, researchers believe that 86% of obese type 2 diabetic patients suffer from sleep apnea.
What does that mean? Although these statistics don’t necessarily prove that diabetes causes sleep apnea (or vice versa), it’s clear that there’s a real medical connection here – one which the medical community has been exploring for decades. It also means that if you’ve been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, you may want to consider paying close attention to the risk factors of sleep apnea.
“Based on the current evidence, clinicians need to address the risk of OSA [obstructive sleep apnea] in patients with type 2 diabetes,” advise the authors of a 2008 study published in the journal Chest, “and, conversely, evaluate the presence of type 2 diabetes in patients with OSA.”
Diabetes and sleep apnea: What’s the relationship?
Of course, despite the numerous research articles published on the association between sleep apnea and diabetes – and there are a lot – researchers still don’t know exactly what causes this connection. And it hasn’t been proven in specific terms whether one condition directly causes the other.
In fact, a 2005 study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine attempted to find out “whether an independent relationship” existed between type 2 diabetes and sleep-disordered breathing. Looking for an “independent relationship” means that researchers hoped to discover the secret behind the connection between sleep apnea and diabetes and why so many people have both conditions.
Unfortunately, that study was inconclusive, and the real source of the connection between sleep apnea and diabetes remains unknown. Although, combined evidence from population and clinical-based studies suggest there is an independent association between OSA and type 2 diabetes, highlighting the importance of considering each of these two diseases if you have one of them.
Diabetes and Sleep Apnea: Awareness and prevention
We can’t say that if you have sleep apnea, you’ll get diabetes, or vice versa. But with such a large overlap between these two conditions, it’s sensible to suspect that if you do have one of these conditions, your likelihood of developing the other is increased.
That means paying extra close attention to the risk factors for diabetes if you have sleep apnea, and making sure you’re doing all you can to ensure healthy sleep if you happen to be diabetic.
Even health professionals are on the lookout for the connection. The international Diabetes Federation Task force on epidemiology and Prevention strongly recommends that health professionals working in both type 2 diabetes and SDB adopt clinical practices to ensure that a patient presenting with one condition is considered for the other.”
Global Health Crisis with 175 Million Europeans which Have Sleep Apnoea
Late-breaking abstract at ERS Congress provides new estimate from leading researchers and key opinion leaders
Roughly 175 million Europeans have obstructive sleep apnoea, according to a late-breaking abstract presented by ResMed today at the European Respiratory Society’s annual ERS Congress in Paris. Leading researchers estimate 90 million Europeans have moderate to severe sleep apnoea, meaning they experience at least 15 breathing events an hour during sleep.
These statistics are based on the latest scoring rules for determining one’s apnoea–hypopnoea index (AASM 2012) and are connected with a 16-country study announced in May 2018 that revealed an estimated 936 million people worldwide have sleep apnoea, a chronic sleep-disordered breathing condition associated with increased risk of mortality and reduced quality of life.
The new global prevalence is nearly tenfold higher than the previous one – 100 million – estimated by the World Health Organization in 2007.
European countries with the highest prevalence are:
Russia, 40 million
Germany, 26 million
France, 24 million
Ukraine, 13 million
Spain, 9 million
United Kingdom, 8 million
“This data is a warning call to Europe’s doctors and other care providers to properly identify, screen and diagnose these people so they can get the life-changing treatment they need,” said Dr. Adam Benjafield, lead researcher and ResMed’s vice president of Medical Affairs.
Benjafield said one sign of an at-risk patient is whether they have a related chronic medical condition:
83% of people with drug-resistant hypertension have sleep apnoea
77% of people with obesity
76% of people with chronic heart failure
72% of people with type 2 diabetes
62% of people with a prior stroke
49% of people with atrial fibrillation
“Doctors should screen their patients if they have any of these conditions,” said Benjafield, “especially if a patient has exhibited sleep apnoea-related symptoms like snoring, daytime sleepiness or frequent nighttime urination.”
For frequent travelers, a portable PAP machine is smaller, lighter, easier to carry, and more discreet. A portable CPAP machine can fit into your regular carry-on bag, rather than needing a separate carrying case. And new innovations in design and technology have made it possible to experience the same performance with a mini PAP device as a home-based unit. But remember: not all travel PAP machines are the same. Look for machines with quiet operation, comfort therapy settings, and features that are similar to your home device.
Don’t be fooled when shopping for a travel CPAP machine
Travel PAPs come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and additional features. Some may look extremely small, but they require a lot of added components to work like your home system. Here are some other tips to help you find the machine that’s right for you:
Components a device with fewer components requires less time to assemble for use and packs easily into your suitcase.
Weight traveling light is important. Compare the weight of the PAP machines.
Tubing since each manufacturer will have different tubing, look for those with smaller tubes that provide ease of packing and more freedom of movement when you sleep.
Added features look for added features, such as, user friendly touch screen activation, built in USB charging port for cell phones or other devices, leaving outlets available for lamps, alarm clocks, etc.
However, you shouldn’t let the idea of traveling with your machine get you down. And you definitely shouldn’t leave your machine at home, even for short trips. What many people may not realize is that traveling with a CPAP machine is much easier than previously thought. Below you find some of our products for your traveling.
It is recommended to label your CPAP case with a medical equipment luggage tag. However, most TSA agents are more than familiar with CPAP machines, and will easily recognize them as medical equipment.
You CPAP will need to be x-rayed. To expedite the process take the machine out of the carry case and place in an individual screening bin. The rest of the equipment can stay in the carry case.Your CPAP machine may need to be swabbed by an agent to check for explosives residue. If this is the case, you can ask that the agent use a fresh pair of gloves and an unused swab.
It may be a good idea to keep your prescription for the machine on you in the event TSA agents need additional confirmation for your equipment.
If you plan on using your machine on the plane make sure you have the necessary adapters or back-up battery pack.
Fill your humidifier with bottled water rather than using tapwater in the airport bathroom or the bathroom on the plane.
If you feel slightly embarrassed about using your device on the plane, you can always purchase a CPAP travel hoodie to be more inconspicuous.
You may want to check with your airline’s policy regarding CPAP usage in flight. Some airlines require a minimum of 48 hours notice of use of inflight CPAP machines to verify that your model meets FAA standards and regulations. Many airlines require that your machine is properly labeled indicating that it meets FAA safety regulations and is approved for use on an aircraft. click here for FAA regulations regarding medical carying and using medical machines in the Aircraft
Sleep apnea is a condition in which your breathing repeatedly pauses while you sleep. When this happens, your body wakes you up to resume breathing. These multiple sleep interruptions prevent you from sleeping well, leaving you feeling extra tired during the day. Sleep apnea does more than make you sleepy, though. When left untreated, it can contribute to heart disease, diabetes, and other long-term health risks.
Sleep apnea happens when your airway becomes blocked or collapses during the night. Each time your breathing restarts, you might let out a loud snore that wakes both you and your bed partner.Many health conditions are linked to sleep apnea, including obesity and high blood pressure. These conditions, coupled with the lack of sleep, can harm many different systems in your body.
Respiratory system
By depriving your body of oxygen while you sleep, sleep apnea can worsen symptoms of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). You might find yourself short of breath or have more trouble exercising than usual.
Endocrine system
People with sleep apnea are more likely to develop insulin resistance, a condition in which the cells don’t respond as well to the hormone insulin. When your cells don’t take in insulin like they should, your blood sugar level rises and you can develop type 2 diabetes.Sleep apnea has also been associated with metabolic syndrome, a cluster of heart disease risk factors that include high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol levels, high blood sugar levels, and a larger-than-normal waist circumference.
Digestive system
If you have sleep apnea, you’re more likely to have fatty liver disease, liver scarring, and higher-than-normal levels of liver enzymes.Apnea can also worsen heartburn and other symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which can interrupt your sleep even more.
Circulatory and cardiovascular systems
Sleep apnea has been linked to obesity and high blood pressure, which increase the strain on your heart. If you have apnea, you’re more likely to have an abnormal heart rhythm such as atrial fibrillation, which could increase your risk of a stroke. Heart failure is also more common in people with sleep apnea.
Nervous system
One type of sleep apnea, called central sleep apnea, is caused by a disruption in the brain’s signals that enable you to breathe. This type of sleep apnea can also cause neurological symptoms like numbness and tingling.
Reproductive system
Sleep apnea can reduce your desire to have sex. In men, it could contribute to erectile dysfunction and affect your ability to have children.
Other systems
Other common symptoms of sleep apnea include:
dry mouth or sore throat in the morning
headache
trouble paying attention
irritability
Takeaway
Sleep apnea can disrupt your nightly slumber and put you at risk of several serious diseases, but there are ways to control it. Treatments, such as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and oral appliances, help keep oxygen flowing into your lungs while you sleep. Losing weight can also improve sleep apnea symptoms while reducing your heart disease risk.
Written by Stephanie Watson | Medically Reviewed by Elaine Luo, MD on June 29, 2017 | Healthline.com
Sleep Apnea’s Effect on Sex Drive and Sexual Function
It seems to be common knowledge these days that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is tied to troubling health issues including obesity, heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and cancer. However, fewer people are aware that sleep apnea and its consequences can result in a wide range of sexual health issues, including libido, sexual function, and intimacy. In addition, both men and women can suffer these problems if they are not properly treated for their sleep apnea.
The side effects of sleep apnea—fatigue, high blood pressure, risk of heart disease and stroke—are pretty well-known. But one thing that’s not as widely documented is sleep apnea’s effect on sex.
Sleep Apnea & Sexual Health: The Studies
Within the past two decades, a large number of studies have confirmed that sleep apnea can affect a number of different facets of a person’s sex life, from their sex drive to their hormone levels, to their erectile function. Below, we will highlight just a few of the recent studies involving sleep apnea and sexual health.
A 2009 study found that a staggering 69 percent of men with diagnosed OSA suffered from erectile dysfunction, compared with just 34 percent of people without sleep apnea. The study examined 401 adult men and corrected for factors such as age and weight.
A 2011 study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine found that women suffering from untreated sleep apnea had higher rates of sexual dysfunction and sexual difficulties. The study, which compared 80 women with sleep apnea to 240 women without the sleep disorder, found that no matter how mild or severe the OSA, women were negatively affected by their condition.
Researchers at the Walter Reed Military Medical Center found that a significant number of men who treat their sleep apnea see a large improvement in their sexual function and sexual satisfaction. The study followed 92 men with an average age of 46 who had been diagnosed with OSA and who were being treated with CPAP therapy.
A 2008 sleep apnea study of 15 patients who underwent maxillomandibular advancement (MMA) surgery (also known as bimaxillary advancement surgery) found that, six months after the operation, a statistically significant number noted an increase in satisfaction with intimacy and sex.
A 2007 study of 25 women with obstructive sleep apnea found that all aspects of sexual functioning were were affected by the sleep disorder save two: enjoyment and pain. The study excluded women with genital deformity, postmenopausal women, and women without a regular partner and controlled for factors like age and c0-morbid diseases.
A 2011 sleep apnea study focused on sexual hormone levels and sleep apnea found that disrupted sleep caused by sleep apnea affects the testosterone levels of both men and women. Testosterone is a hormone that affects sex drive in both sexes.
Why Does Sleep Apnea Hurt Sex Drive?
While research is showing that OSA can hinder many aspects of patients’ sex lives, the answer to why the relationship exists is more difficult. First and foremost, physicians believe that the lack of deep sleep caused by sleep apnea affects sex hormones that drive our libido. In addition, sleep apnea often leaves patients drowsy, unable to focus, and fatigued – not a recipe for a happy sex life. Finally, sleep apnea negatively affects blood pressure, weight, and overall health, which in turn could affect sexual function. But there’s good news: treatment for sleep apnea can make a difference.
The CPAP—a device that’s worn while sleeping and keeps the airway from closing can diminish or alleviate sleep apnea, and doesn’t have to interfere with intimacy. Plus, Ochman said, people who are treated for their sleep apnea are 60 percent more likely to be compliant with their treatment plan if their spouses sleep in the same bedroom.
Other things that can help: Keep your weight in a healthy range: Excess weight is a primary risk factor for sleep apnea in both men and women. Don’t light up: Smoking increases the risk of obstructive sleep apnea. Get regular exercise: Exercise helps keep weight in check, plus, when combined with CPAP therapy, helps improve sleep apnea.
Use your CPAP nightly and Keep the romance alive: The relationship between sleep and sex needs more research, especially for women, but improving the quality of your sleep is likely to benefit your sex life.
Alcohol consumption can induce sleep apnea and other sleep disorders. It disrupts the natural sequence and length of sleep states by changing the total amount of time you sleep and the time it takes you to fall asleep. It also has important impacts on breathing during sleep. How does alcohol affect the risk of sleep apnea and snoring by relaxing the muscles of the airway?
While about 20 percent Americans have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), only about 10 percent have received a diagnosis. During an episode of sleep apnea, your air passage narrows to such a degree it interrupts your natural breathing cycle and wakes you up, although you may fall back to sleep so fast you don’t know you were ever awake. Sometimes the air passage completely closes.
You are more likely to have OSA than the general population if you are:
middle-aged or older
overweight or obese
have anatomy that narrows the airway
The Health Benefits of Sleep
No one knows the exact function of sleep but not getting enough of it causes serious consequences. If you don’t get enough sleep you increase your risk of developing:
depression
poor metabolism
heart disease
insulin resistance (diabetes)
The day after an insufficient night’s sleep, you feel tired the next day. Excessive daytime sleepiness caused by sleep disturbance, such as breathing interruptions, is associated with:
impaired function in social situations and at work
difficulty with remembering things
car accidents
These consequences are important to keep in mind when considering the effects of alcohol consumption on breathing during sleep.
Alcohol Causes Sleep Apnea and Makes It Worse
There is an association between alcohol and sleep apnea even if you don’t have a diagnosis.
Studies show that moderate or heavy drinking can cause episodes of OSA in people who don’t even have it. Additionally, if you have alcohol use disorder, you may be at higher risk for developing OSA, especially if you already snore.
For those with OSA, the consequences of sleep apnea become more pronounced when you drink because alcohoI can increase the time between when you stop breathing and “wake up” to breathe again. In other words, it makes your OSA worse.
The increase in the severity of your symptoms makes the drops in your blood’s oxygen levels, called desaturations, become more severe. This may lead to increased carbon dioxide levels in the body, a condition called hypercapnia, which, in severe cases, can be fatal.
Alcohol’s Effect on Nighttime Breathing and Snoring
Drinking alcohol can affect the nighttime breathing of patients with sleep-disordered breathing, such as sleep apnea.
Alcohol decreases your drive to breathe, slowing your breathing and making your breaths shallow. In addition, it may relax the muscles of your throat, which may make it more likely for your upper airway to collapse. This may contribute to both snoring, which represents the vibration of the soft tissues, to complete obstruction that occurs in sleep apnea.
Should Sleep Apnea Sufferers Avoid Alcohol?
If you have sleep apnea, the best advice would be to abstain from all alcohol use. If you enjoy drinking an alcoholic beverage, even occasionally, this is unlikely. At the very least, don’t consume alcohol in the several hours prior to bedtime to minimize the effects overnight. Use your treatment for sleep apnea every night.
You should also keep in mind the importance of setting up your continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) under typical sleeping conditions. Therefore, if you drink alcohol daily but abstain prior to your titration study, the pressure may not be adequate to maintain your airway when you drink.
AutoCPAP machines that can adjust the pressures through the night may help to avoid this issue.
To maximize your response to therapy, consider the role that alcohol use plays in optimally treating your sleep apnea.
Risks of Infection Reduced with Regular Cleaning, Distilled Water Use
It is common when initially starting the use of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) to treat sleep apnea to worry about the risk of infection from the device. You might ask, “Can CPAP make me sick?” Learn about whether you might be at risk of infection, including sinus infections and pneumonia, from using a CPAP machine. Review how to avoid this with proper cleaning steps on a regular basis and the use of filters, distilled water in a heated humidifier, and heated tubing.
The Dangers of Infection with CPAP Machines
First, the CPAP itself is initially a sterile device. The plastic and metal parts will not cause illness on their own, and germs will not be present there when the machine is new. Once you start using it, any germs inside the mask, tubing, or device are your germs. Therefore, you are at low risk of acquiring a new infection from a CPAP. The bugs whether they are bacteria or viruses are ones that you put there via breathing, and your body has already reached a truce with them.
Though there may be a reasonable concern for potential infection from the use of CPAP equipment, there is little research in adults supporting such an association. Modern devices with the use of heated humidifiers, heated tubing, hypoallergenic filters, and improved design have not been well studied.
In fact, there are currently zero—yes, zero—case reports by doctors& found in the scientific literature of CPAP use contributing to an increased risk of upper respiratory infection like sinus infections or pneumonia.
There have been a few reports of eye irritation and ulceration occurring, possibly related to masks leaking air into the eyes, but the cause-and-effect relationship is not clear.
Moreover, research actually suggests that regular CPAP use in fact reduces inflammation and the risk for infection in the nasal passage. Cells associated with these phenomena are seen less often in the noses of compliant users of the therapy.
In conclusion, it is very likely that CPAP therapy simply does not cause higher rates of infection.
The Potential Risk of Warm, Humid Environments and Mold
The CPAP has some “creature features” to make it more comfortable to use. In particular, the heated humidifier and heated tubing may make the air more warm and moist. This decreases mouth and nose dryness, which may actually reduce the risk of potential infection, and improves tolerance to the therapy. (Inflammation along the airway often improves with CPAP use, in fact.) However, there are organisms that also love a warm, humid environment. In particular, fungus, yeast, and mold would love to hang out in such a place.
If your CPAP is not kept clean and excess moisture is allowed to sit in the tubing or humidifier, you might be at risk of developing a fungal or yeast colonization. Dangerous molds could also establish themselves in the equipment. These organisms could potentially be harmful to you.
This may lead to irritation of the airways and lungs, contributing to cough or possibly even an infection like bronchitis, pneumonia, or inflammation of the lungs called pneumonitis.
Large studies have not been performed, and cases of this occurring have not been reported in the literature, but the risk is likely extremely low. The use of a humidifier and adequate hygiene seems to reduce these risks. If water is left in the device for an extended period of time without use, mold is more likely to form. Therefore, the device should not be stored with water left in it, especially in an environment that might promote such growth (like leaving the CPAP in a shed or garage for months or years and then resuming its use).
How to Avoid Infection When Using CPAP
In order to reduce the theoretical risk of infection or exposure to unwanted fungi or molds, there are certain steps that you can take.
Make sure to clean your CPAP as often as you should with hot water and dish soap. The equipment manufacturers suggest daily cleaning. It is recommended that this be done at least weekly, depending on your environment. It is not necessary to use an expensive CPAP sanitizer device to reduce the risk of infection that is simply not there.
If you are sick with a cold or flu, clean your mask, tubing, and device thoroughly to remove mucus and other undesirable residual discharges from the illness. This basic hygiene can help to avoid any unpleasant smells from developing.
Do not let water or moisture remain in the equipment for prolonged periods and use a heated humidifier and heated tubing to reduce condensation. If you decide to stop using the treatment for longer than a few days, clean and dry it out completely. Modern devices are also able to circulate air to help dry out the tubing after use has concluded.
Use distilled water in the humidifier to reduce your risk of infection by amoeba in& certain regions such as Lousiana. If you don’t trust the local water supply, always err on the side of using distilled water. This can also avoid the accumulation of minerals inside the water chamber.
Replace your supplies, including machine filters, as often as you should. Filters have been shown to reduce the spread of bacteria within the device. Masks should be replaced at least every 3 months and filters should be changed from every 2 weeks to monthly.
Do not share your equipment with others to prevent the spread of infection. Do not purchase or accept used equipment, especially used masks and tubing.
By taking these simple steps, you can further reduce the risk of infection and ensure that you get the healthful benefits you expect from your treatment.
The sleep apnea does much more than just disrupt your sleep and your bed partner from loud snore. Sleep apnea which commonly occurs in those who snore loudly is defined by recurrent pauses in breathing during their sleep where the minimum pause time is more than 10 seconds. This may be caused either by obstruction of the airway(obstructive sleep apnea – OSA) or by the brain forgetting to prompt a breath(central sleep apnea – CSA). When this happens, oxygen levels fall, carbon dioxide levels rise, and there is a spike in blood pressure, heart rate, and hormones like cortisol as the body reawakens to breathe. Sleep apnea has been linked to many chronic medical conditions, and even sudden death.
Hypertension
It is estimated that 50-70% of people with sleep apnea have hypertension, or high blood pressure. This increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, and other health problems. Laboratory experiments in animals have shown a cause-and-effect relationship, with the presence of sleep apnea leading to a later development of hypertension. In people with hard-to-control hypertension, it may be that sleep apnea is contributing. It is shocking that 96% of men requiring three blood pressure medications have sleep apnea contributing to the problem! Effective treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) can help to improve blood pressure as much as a blood pressure medication.
Coronary Artery Disease and Heart Attack
The risk for cardiovascular disease increases due to several mechanisms. Sleep apnea can lead to activation of the sympathetic nervous system. This is responsible for the “fight-or-flight” response. Imagine the stress on your body that occurs when a lion is chasing you, this is the sympathetic nervous system at work.
Apnea events may lead to bursts of cortisol, the stress hormone, repeatedly during sleep. In addition, sleep apnea leads to problems with the lining of blood vessels, inflammation, and problems with metabolic regulation and diabetes. All of these can cause problems with blood vessels and this coronary artery disease may lead to major problems like a heart attack.
Stroke
Research shown that the association between stroke and sleep apnea is perhaps as strong as the association between smoking and stroke. There may be several factors involved. During sleep apnea, blood vessels within the brain dilate when the oxygen levels fall. Moreover, individuals with sleep apnea have higher levels of blood factors that make them more susceptible to clots that may lead to stroke. About half of people with atrial fibrillation, a major risk factor for stroke, have sleep apnea contributing to these episodes. Approximately 40-60% of people with stroke are found to have obstructive sleep apnea.
Congestive Heart Failure
When apneic events occur, as the affect of stopped breathing will decreased levels of oxygen which can cause blood vessels in the lungs to constrict. This increases the blood pressure in these vessels, and over time may lead to chronic right-sided heart failure.
High blood pressure is a major contributor to left-sided heart failure. Some studies have shown that as many as 37% of people with heart failure may have sleep apnea. Untreated sleep apnea may increase the likelihood of heart problems or more worse to death over years.
Sudden Death
In a study of patients who died suddenly who had had recent sleep studies performed, it was shown that almost half of the patients with sleep apnea died between the hours of midnight to 6 a.m., compared with 21% without sleep apnea. It is possible that these individuals died suddenly during periods of apnea. These deaths could occur due to breathing dysfunction contributing to cardiac arrhythmia, heart attack, and stroke.
The Good News
The good news is that there is effective treatment for sleep apnea and this can help eliminate many of these risks associated with the disease of sleep apnea. Improve your sleep, your daily function, and your long-term health by finding a therapy that you can live with.
Sources:
Arzt M, Young T, Finn L, Skatrud JB, Bradley TD. “Association of sleep-disordered breathing and the occurrence of stroke.” Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2005;172:1447–1451.
Collop, N. “The effect of obstructive sleep apnea on chronic medical disorders.” Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine. 2007;74:1.
Logan AG, Perlikowski SM, Mente A, et al. “High prevalence of unrecognized sleep apnoea in drug-resistant hypertension.” J Hypertens. 2001;19:2271–2277.
Shahar E, Whitney CW, Redline S, et al. “Sleep-disordered breathing and cardiovascular disease: cross-sectional results of the Sleep Heart Health Study.” Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2001;163:19–25.
Yaggi HK, Concato J, Kernan WN, Lichtman JH, Brass LM, Mohsenin V. “Obstructive sleep apnea as a risk factor for stroke and death.” N Engl J Med. 2005;353:2034–2041.
Get better sleep with CPAP treatment and Increased Energy, Improved Sexual Function will help Your Sexuality and daily life!
If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea and you under continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment, you may have some concerns and questions, including, how does CPAP affect your sex life? treating sleep apnea may improve energy levels, libido, and sexual function including resolution of erectile dysfunction. Discover ways in which an unattractive mask might make you feel unattractive and what to do about it.
The Initial Introduction of CPAP to the Bedroom
When you first start using CPAP to treat your sleep apnea, you may initially panic about how the mask and machine will impact your sex life. On a superficial basis, you may worry about how it makes you look. You may feel like the apparatus makes you appear like a cross between Darth Vader, an elephant, and a robot. In short, you may feel unattractive. Truth be told, this initial hurdle is cleared quickly.
Remember that you should be putting the mask on as you fall asleep. Put it on after you have had sex and the lights are being turned off! Talk about your concerns with your loved one, see how they feel, and quickly move on. Anyone who loves you, anyone with whom you wish to be intimate, will accept you and respect your medical needs.
In fact, the CPAP may be the first step toward rekindling your love life. Often loud snoring and sleep apnea may lead to nighttime relationship problems, including sleeping in separate sleep spaces.
If you are in separate bedrooms, the chance for intimacy diminishes. By resolving these issues by using CPAP, your partner may decide to rejoin you in bed, thus setting up new opportunities.
The introduction of the CPAP to a sexual partner may recur if you have new partners. Though you may initially feel embarrassed and fight through these same feelings again, this will get easier as you become comfortable with CPAP and yourself.
Try to preserve time for cuddling and body contact. You may find it is easier to snuggle if you are the “little spoon” with your CPAP mask and tubing facing away from you and your partner. It is also helpful to try to choose a smaller mask with minimal leak problems as these can be disruptive.
Starting to Feel More Frisky
As you start to use your CPAP on a regular basis, you may begin to notice some changes in how it makes you feel. Some of the symptoms that prompted you to seek diagnosis and treatment of your sleep apnea may improve. For example, most people have improved energy levels and decreased excessive daytime sleepiness. These improvements may leave you feeling more frisky and more interested in sex.
Treating your sleep disorder may have real physiological impacts on your libido. Sleep apnea has been associated with low testosterone levels in men and using CPAP may help reverse this. Men with sleep apnea frequently experience erectile dysfunction and treatment may help. In addition, you may have decreased irritability and improved mood with treatment. This new attitude may lead to more interest on the part of your sexual partner as well.
Long-Term CPAP Use and Maintaining Romance
Once you have overcome the initial adjustment and start to see some benefits from using the CPAP, you may still face some long-term issues related to CPAP and its impact on your sex life.
Some people worry about the CPAP mask and machine becoming a barrier to intimacy. By putting on the mask, you may feel like you are signaling disinterest in sex. It may seem as if you are saying, “I’m sleeping now.” Certainly, this can be true, but it doesn’t have to be an absolute. Be flexible. Let your partner know that the mask can always be taken back off. Through some combination of spontaneity and planning, there is no reason why you can’t have a normal sex life and one normal life.
In many ways, CPAP can actually improve intimacy with your loved one. That leads to two reasons to keep using and being compliant with CPAP for health and for love.
Nasal mask cushions are in constant contact with your face and nasal pillows sit inside your nose throughout the night and in some case even during day. Regular replacement is recommended for hygienic purposes and to ensure the best fit.
Every 8-10 months or earlier depending of the cushion condition
Full face mask cushions cover more of your face and may deteriorate over time through regular wear and tear. Regular replacement is recommended for hygienic purposes and to ensure the best fit.
Machine Air filter
Why: YourCPAP is a small machine that delivers air pressure to splint your airway open. To protect you from dust and allergens, your CPAP includes an air filter that requires regular replacement to work best.
Tubing
CPAP machine tubing may develop small holes or tears, which can cause air leaks. If your tube is leaking, you may not be receiving your prescribed therapy setting from your CPAP. This can cause you to feel like you’re not sleeping as well.
Headgear
Mask headgear and chin straps may become stretched and lose their elasticity, leading to over-tightening and discomfort. They can also trap bacteria from sweat and moisture.
Every 10-12 months or earlier
Humidifier water chamber
Humidifier water chambers may become discolored, cracked, cloudy or even pitted due to the mineral levels found in most tap and drinking water. As the material deteriorates, cracks may trap bacteria from moisture.
Every 12 months or earlier
CPAP Machine
A CPAP machine’s life span is typically 5 years. We recommend getting a backup CPAP machine, especially if your current machine is more than two years old. That way you’ll never be without your therapy, even if one of your devices requires maintenance.
How often should I clean my mask? How should I take care of my other equipment? Most common questions that user have. Read Below
Maintaining and caring for your therapy equipment is essential so that you can get the most out of your treatment.
Mask care
Cleaning
You may not realize it, but over time your skin releases facial oils that can reduce the quality and performance of your seal and mask. So after wearing your mask, clean your mask thoroughly to remove any facial oils.
Clean the cushion of your mask every morning, after using it at night. That way, you will have a clean, dry mask ready to use for your next treatment. Cleaning your mask will also remove facial oils to optimize your mask’s seal.
To clean your mask, hand wash each day with mild soap. Avoid harsh cleaning products, which may damage the mask, or leave harmful residue. Allow drying away from direct sunlight.
To be able to deliver consistent, high-quality treatment, your device needs to be well maintained. A blocked air filter may impact on the pressure delivered to you. It’s important to regularly examine the air filter for holes or dust build-up. Refer to your user guide for specific recommendations on how often you should maintain your device.
Maintaining your humidifier is important in order to achieve effective treatment and prevent the buildup of deposits.
After each use, we recommend that the water tub should be washed out with a mild detergent and warm water. Then it should be thoroughly rinsed and dried, away from direct sunlight. The tub should also be checked once a month for wear and deterioration. If any component has cracked or become cloudy or pitted, the tub should be replaced.
Please note that this cleaning information is only a summary. For more detailed information, please refer to your product User Guide or send us an email to support(@)cpapstore.eu.
