Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a health issue that many people overlook. Recently, popular YouTuber Ray Du shared on social media that due to his snoring and frequent night awakenings, he underwent a sleep study and was diagnosed with moderate to severe OSA, with an average of 24.5 breathing pauses per hour. Despite getting 8 hours of sleep, he still felt tired. On his doctor's advice, he decided to use a CPAP machine to improve his sleep.
OSA refers to the repetitive collapse of the upper airway during sleep, leading to airway obstruction, causing suffocation and oxygen deprivation. (Photo: Heho Health)
OSA refers to the repeated collapse of the upper airway during sleep, causing obstruction, leading to suffocation and oxygen deprivation. This can trigger chronic conditions such as hypertension, heart disease, and stroke. High-risk groups for OSA include people who are obese, have a thick neck, or a short chin, especially males, those who are overweight, and frequent alcohol or tobacco users. OSA sufferers may experience daytime sleepiness, angina, memory loss, and even sexual dysfunction. In severe cases, it can result in sudden death during sleep.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a health issue that many people overlook. (Photo: Heho Health)
To prevent OSA, doctors recommend improving lifestyle habits, such as maintaining a body fat percentage below 26, quitting smoking and drinking, avoiding sedatives and sleeping pills, sleeping on your side, avoiding stimulatory foods, and getting regular health checkups. If symptoms appear, it's advised to undergo a sleep study (PSG) for diagnosis and to promptly adopt proper treatment measures, such as using a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine, which can effectively improve symptoms, sleep quality, and overall health.
