Healthy Lifestyle

Snoring is no joke, it can signal some serious health problems

IN HIS younger days, Chen Zhao Hong avoided chalet stays, slumber parties and over-night outings to the beach — nocturnal activities many of his friends enjoyed.

“My friends invited me, but I tried not to stay overnight. I didn’t want to be embarrassed,” said Mr Chen.

Mr Chen snores loudly. As a result, he has been at the receiving end of many a jibe.

SNORING – NOT A NATURAL OCCURRENCE

While many of us think that snoring is quite natural, this is a misconception, said Dr Peter Kenny Pang, associate consultant with the department of Otorhinolaryngology at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

According to Dr Pang, snoring is a symptom of obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA, a common sleep disorder that may cause complications if left untreated. Some complications that arise from OSA include
hypertension, coronary arterial disease, strokes and even heart attacks.

For Mr Chen, however, OSA carries an even greater risk – death. He often nods off while driving.

“Sometimes, when I fall asleep, my girlfriend wakes me up and engages me in conversation to prevent me from dozing off again,” he said.

Despite having adequate sleep, Mr Chen feels exhausted during the day.

The tiredness he feels is a manifestation of OSA. Sufferers of OSA also experience mood changes, irritability, lack of concentration and poor memory.

WEIGHT LOSS AND SURGERY

Mr Chen consulted a doctor to treat his snoring problem when he was 11, but declined treatment at the time. His condition gradually worsened.

During his first few months in National Service (NS), his fellow soldiers had to get used to his loud snoring.

“They told me that I was disturbing them. But I did not have a choice because the snoring is not something I can control.

They noticed that I gasped for air and sometimes choked during the night, and advised me to seek medical attention,” he said.

A few months into his NS stint, Mr Chen suffered an asthma attack, even though he had no history of such attacks.

The medical officer in his army unit referred him to a specialist. It was then that he learned he had severe OSA. The doctor recommended surgery.

Since OSA is closely linked to obesity, Mr Chen refused surgery and tried to lose weight instead. He was 126kg and lost 8kg. Unfortunately, the weight loss did not alleviate his condition.

Said Mr Chen: “The doctor asked me why I did not want to undergo surgery. I confessed to him my fears of invasive procedures and he advised me to go ahead with it anyway.”

Mr Chen overcame his phobia and went for an operation.

SHORT RECOVERY PERIOD AFTER SURGERY

The surgical procedure is directed at the level of obstruction in the upper airways.

The operation takes approximately two hours and Mr Chen was given general anaesthesia.

There were no side effects, he said, except for some pain in his throat. The recovery period was relatively short, too. He was discharged after three days and the pain subsided in two weeks.

It seems that the surgery was well worth it. Mr Chen said that since the operation, his social life has changed for the better.

“I don’t fall asleep while driving during the day and I feel a lot more confident about myself now,” he said.

SLEEP SOUNDLY

OSA treatment always begins with a modification to your lifestyle.

• Lose weight: OSA is linked to obesity.
• Avoid stimulants: Nicotine, alcohol, sedatives and caffeine should be avoided, since they
  can be stimulatory and affect sleep.
• Adopt a regular sleep pattern: Regular sleep patterns means having fixed sleeping and waking times, avoiding naps and not reading or watching television in bed.
• Diet: Avoid spicy food as it can aggravate reflux and cause discomfort such as heart-burn.
  This condition can worsen OSA.
• Sleeping position: Sleep on your side or on your stomach. Sleeping on the back is not recommended, as it will cause the tongue to fall back and obstruct the airway.

OSA is estimated to affect 24 per cent of men and 9 per cent of women. “However, many medical writers who investigate OSA believe that up to 93 per cent of women and 82 per cent of men suffer from OSA but
remain undiagnosed,” said Dr Pang.

Sleep is important but having enough of it is just as important. Sleep experts say that most people function adequately on 7.5 hours sleep or less. It is said that healthy adults typically fall asleep in about ten minutes. Studies have shown that about one-third adults report they normally sleep less than 6.5 hours during the week and make up for lost sleep on weekends.

Sleep is an essential biological process for good health, mental and emotional functioning and safety. Lack of sleep has been associated with accidents by drivers, poor performance and reduced productivity at school and work.

Sleep Helps

A United Press International survey of 71 sleep specialists has produced a number of suggestions that could help you into the land of sleeping. They include:

• Follow a routine of retiring and rising on a timeline that does not deviate by more than two hours each day, even on weekends.
• Avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol, which suppresses deep sleep, within three to six hours, and heavy meals within three hours, of bedtime.
• Use your bed for resting or sleeping, not for doing extra office work, watching television or playing video games (unless it helps you doze off).
• Exercise moderately for 30 minutes a day, but no later than three hours before lights out.
• Sip warm milk, herb tea or other non-caffeinated drinks before turning in for the night to raise body temperature and help transport you to dreamland.
• Nibble on bananas, turkey, peanut butter or other foods rich in tryptophan, a compound that produces a natural sedative effect.
• Refrain from naps when you get home from work or school because they can reduce “sleep pressure” and, hence, your subsequent ability to drift off for the night.
• Put your work aside two to three hours before you go to sleep.
• If sleep fails to claim you within 20 minutes, get out of bed and read for a while, selecting soothing rather than stimulating material.
• A massage, meditation, soothing music, yoga, positive imagery, biofeedback, a warm bath or other techniques may help the brain unwind.
• Write out a “worry list” of bothersome matters half an hour before bedtime and deal with it before your head hits the pillow.
• Keep the room quiet, dark and cool, and wear socks to sleep to keep toes warm.
• Consult a doctor before taking melatonin, which may produce insomnia if given at the wrong time, or other sleep aides, which may prove ineffective, unhealthy or habit forming.
• Dim the lights two or three hours before bedtime and get out in bright sunshine for five to 30 minutes as soon as you arise to help set your brain’s internal clock to your asleep- wake schedule.
• Visit a sleep specialist if slumber continues to elude you.