Sedentary lifestyle triggers sleep apnea

By Duygu Yener

ANKARA (AA) - Sedentary lifestyle triggers snoring and sleep apnea, causing serious health problems, according to a health expert.

Untreated sleep apnea and snoring raise death risk, Dr. Esin Yalcinkaya, an otolaryngology-head and neck surgery specialist told Anadolu Agency.

With the pandemic period, negative changes in lifestyle have been observed more often, including physical inactivity and weight gain.

Particularly, snoring should be taken seriously, and sleep apnea is one of the most important problems, she stressed.

Prevalence of sleep apnea in Turkey is between 5-10%, and particularly people over the age of 45 is at high risk, the expert noted.

Sleep apnea is more common in males than females and also genetic predisposition raises the disease risk, Yalcinkaya said, adding: ”Sedentary lifestyle and irregular eating habit during the pandemic process have raised the number of people with sleep apnea complaints."

- Snoring may not always be sign of sleep apnea

Loud snoring and intermittent sleep are among the main symptoms of sleep apnea, Yalcinkaya also said, but also added: ”Snoring may not always be a sign of this disease.

"If there is a routine period of snoring, it should also not be neglected, or treated as normal, and the person should be examined by an otolaryngologist.''

She noted: "Lack of comfortable sleep can disrupt our hormonal balance, causing many serious diseases.

"Asphyxia and snoring outside a routine period of snoring may be symptoms of life-threatening sleep apnea.”

The expert also said sleep apnea, weakening the immune system and threatening the physical and mental health, may cause diabetes, deadly diseases in the cardiovascular system or liver, if remains untreated.

* Writing by Seda Sevencan