Being overweight can lead, over time, to develop a series of problems directly related to our health . Obesity is one of the predisposing factors for sleep apnea syndrome. It is a disorder that affects about 10% of the population, more or less in all age groups but above all over the age of 40. Despite what is believed, sleep apnea can, over time, increase the risk of contracting even serious diseases . It is therefore advisable to quickly assess the presence of this type of disorder, in order to be able to cure it as soon as possible.

What are sleep apneas
? Sleep apneas can be related to two types of causes : obstructive and neurological. Neurological causes are very rare, while obstructive apneas are the most frequent type, together with those of a mixed type: both neurological and obstructive. Basically the cause of this type of apnea is due to mechanical obstructions in the upper airways, due to the relaxation of the tongue and palate, or of the various parts of soft tissues. The “collapse” of these parts leads to the interruption of regular breathing, causing a slight awakening and a strong stress for the organism. Those who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea can have more than 10 breathing interruptions every hour, which obviously affects the quality of sleep, but not only. 

Obesity and obstructive sleep apnea
The causes of obstructive sleep apnea are various and among these, obesity is indicated as one of the main predisposing factors , as well as smoking and the habit of drinking alcohol before bedtime. Taking a more regular lifestyle, trying to avoid substances harmful to health and bringing the body weight to a more appropriate value are the first behaviors to be favored in a person suffering from sleep apnea syndrome. Unfortunately, these measures can reduce the disorder , but they will hardly solve it at the root. 

Therapy
After obtaining a diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, the subject is asked to limit the consumption of alcohol, to stop smoking, or even to use drugs that promote sleep: the relaxing effect can exacerbate apneas. In addition to this, special equipment is available today that allows you to return to breathe correctly during the night. These are machines that, through the use of a nasal mask , favor the passage of air through the subject’s airways. This simple therapy allows you to completely eliminate sleep apnea 

Health Risks
Many of those who suffer from sleep apnea do not care about it in any way. In addition to causing direct symptoms throughout the day, such as headaches, drowsiness and difficulty concentrating, sleep apnea can become very dangerous to health. In fact, the stress caused by the lack of oxygen favors the onset of pathologies affecting the cardio-circulatory system , tripling the risk of stroke. It also appears that sleep apnea is also related to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

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