Month: November 2022

The Dangerous Links Between Sleep Apnea and Diabetes

The Dangerous Links Between Sleep Apnea and Diabetes

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is closely associated with diabetes, especially type 2 diabetes. Treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can reduce the risk of acquiring type 2 diabetes, and if you already have diabetes and have acquired sleep apnea as a result, CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) therapy can greatly improve your health by allowing you to better control your glucose levels while you sleep.

Understanding the Diabetes Condition

When your body’s natural insulin is either not produced at all or is no longer efficient at controlling blood sugar levels and converting food into energy, you have diabetes. Obesity, hyperglycemia, and sleep apnea are all risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes, which is associated with a host of serious medical issues include neuropathy, cardiovascular disease, and vision loss.

Roughly half a million Australians, or about 18% of the total population, are believed to have developed type 2 diabetes. The direct personal expenditures for persons with diabetes range from $2,000 to $10,000 annually for medicine and diabetic consumables.

See also: The Connection Between Sleep Apnea and Menopause

Diabetes Symptoms

If you have symptoms of diabetes, such as: Feet that feel numb or tingly, it’s crucial to consult your doctor; Constant hunger or weariness; passing urine often during the night; the development of soft, black patches of skin on the armpits, neck, or calves are other symptoms.

What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).

For those who suffer from sleep apnea, the tongue and other soft tissues at the back of the throat relax too much during sleep, preventing adequate airflow. When your brain detects a drop in oxygen levels, it triggers a brief awakening. Although these brief awakenings seldom cause complete consciousness, they can interrupt your sleep cycle and can occur repeatedly throughout the night (sometimes as many as ten or more times each hour). This is why people with OSA can “sleep” for eight hours straight and still feel drained the next morning.

Daytime drowsiness and impaired cognitive performance are only the beginning of the problems associated with chronic sleep deprivation; it also increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, stroke, and, yes, diabetes.

More than 10% of Australian adults are at high risk for developing sleep apnea, but the vast majority of those people have never even heard of the condition, let alone been diagnosed with it. About 80% of persons who have the illness are unaware of it, despite the fact that about 2.5 million Australians have been advised by a health professional that they have it.

It’s crucial to establish a diagnosis of OSA and get treatment if you have it to avoid potentially fatal complications.

If you are experiencing symptoms like:

Having trouble focusing or remembering during the day; feeling tired even after a full night’s sleep; waking up with a headache; feeling exhausted even though you got plenty of sleep the night before; snoring so loudly that your bedmate can hear it; snoring during the night; having trouble breathing while you sleep.

How Dangerous is the link between sleep apnea and diabetes?

Even while both have certain risk factors, this is more than just an instance of two problems having the same origin. Both diabetes and OSA are associated with a higher likelihood of developing the other, and both exacerbate existing symptoms.

Approximately 30% of Australians who have diabetes are type 2. It has been established in several studies that persons with type 2 diabetes have a greater than 50% chance of developing sleep apnea, and that this risk increases to over 80% in the presence of obesity.

An estimated 2.5 million Australians have been diagnosed with sleep apnea or are at high risk for developing the disorder. Independent of weight, sleep apnea has been linked to an increased risk of acquiring type 2 diabetes, according to the report of several published scientific researches.

Why can sleep apnea lead to diabetes?

A person with untreated sleep apnea will have irregular oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in their blood because of the repeated pauses in breathing that occur throughout the night. The prolonged exposure to low oxygen levels stresses the body, which raises blood sugar levels. Long-term hyperglycaemia has been linked to insulin resistance and the development of type 2 diabetes.

Obstructive sleep apnea is more common in those with type 2 diabetes and hypertension, so those at risk should see a sleep doctor very once.

A look at the effects of CPAP on diabetes.

All of these hazards may be mitigated with the right assistance. In addition to the obvious benefits of increased alertness and cognitive function and decreased risk of additional issues connected with sleep apnea, treating sleep apnea in diabetics has been proven to enhance night-time glucose levels and insulin sensitivity. According to research, patients with Type 2 diabetes and obstructive sleep apnea had significant improvements in their glucose levels at breakfast and 24-hours later after starting CPAP therapy. An expert at Air Liquide Healthcare, who specialises in treating sleep apnea, deduced that this type of treatment has been shown to reduce daytime blood pressure, the risk factor most closely associated with cardiovascular disease and stroke

Poor glucose control is directly correlated with the severity of untreated sleep apnea; nevertheless, it has been shown that treating OSA with CPAP therapy may be as beneficial as utilising oral diabetic medication in addressing this issue.

Consult your physician.

In order to live a longer, healthier, and more fulfilling life, it is crucial to consult a doctor if you experience any of the symptoms associated with obstructive sleep apnea or diabetes. Visit Air Liquide Healthcare website to learn more about diabetes and its dangers, and get in touch with a professional if you’re having trouble sleeping due to sleep apnea.

The Connection Between Sleep Apnea and Menopause

The Connection Between Sleep Apnea and Menopause

Hormonal, physical, and psychological changes occur throughout menopause, however the specific symptoms a woman experiences may differ. When a woman reaches menopause, which typically begins around age 50, she may experience a wide range of symptoms, including, but not limited to, hot flashes, headaches, lethargy, mood changes, and, unexpectedly, sleep apnea.

Insomnia is a common side effect of menopause.

The ovaries of a woman progressively (over the course of many years) reduce their production of oestrogen and progesterone during the perimenopause, or transition phase. After menstruation stops for a year, a woman is said to have achieved menopause, and sleep apnea symptoms are more common throughout perimenopause and post-menopause. In particular, there are hot flashes, which include sudden, intense bodily heat and often result in perspiration. During menopause, they affect around 75-85% of women, typically starting in the face and moving to the chest.

The typical duration of a hot flash is three minutes, meaning that they can disrupt sleep and reduce the quality of your rest. Though most women suffer from them for a year, nearly 25% of them suffer from hot flashes for five years. Though you could get the same amount of sleep, the quality will be far worse. Inability to function properly the next day is a direct result of sleep disruptions.

Insomnia, sleep apnea, and mood issues are all common menopausal complaints. As many as 61% of postmenopausal women experience insomnia symptoms, and they are often less happy with their sleep. Furthermore, studies have shown that postmenopausal women are more likely to suffer from severe snoring. Obstructive sleep apnea, characterised by snoring and breathing interruptions during sleep, is a more serious sleep condition (OSA).

So, What Exactly is OSA?

Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the airway is clogged while one is sleeping, resulting in periodic cessation of breathing. When we stop breathing, our blood oxygen levels decrease, and that sends a signal to the brain to wake up and start breathing again. On the other hand, we don’t fully come to consciousness. These small awakenings can have a significant impact on the quality of our sleep, leaving us feeling exhausted when we finally get to bed.

What is the relationship between sleep apnea and the onset of menopause?

Menopause is characterised by a drop in oestrogen and progesterone levels in women. These hormones play a stimulating function in keeping airways open by regulating the tone of the throat muscles. The risk of respiratory difficulties increases as they fall. Hormonal shifts also contribute to weight growth and a shift in body fat distribution, which can generate an accumulation of fat around the neck and upper chest, which can obstruct breathing.

Snoring is another possible side effect of weight increase. Statistics show that 3% of women have snoring before menopause and 11% after menopause. It was discovered that replacement treatment helped people with apnea by lessening its severity, but it did not completely eradicate the condition.

Heart problems are another concern associated with sleep apnea. Menopause is a time when it occurs more frequently in women. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) was investigated in postmenopausal women at high risk of cardiovascular disease in a 2017 French research. There were 91 menopausal patients with cardiovascular disease who participated in the 2-year trial at Lille University Hospital. A majority (73%) of these individuals who were screened for OSA really suffered from sleep apnea.

Those of you who are past menopause and have snoring and believe you could have sleep apnea may be wondering what to do about it.

The first thing to do is to have sleep apnea checked out. Consult your physician if you get OSA symptoms and have trouble sleeping. Air Liquide Healthcare provides home testing tool that is easy, quick, and accurate. If you’re not sure if sleep testing is suitable for you, feel free to contact us for a no-cost consultation.

A continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) machine will likely be administered if the results of the sleep study indicate that you have sleep apnea. When it comes to treating OSA, CPAP is by far the most reliable option. In Australia, many of people rely on it nightly. In order to keep the airway open during sleeping, CPAP uses a mild stream of air that is directed through the airway.

Other health hazards, such as memory loss and weight gain, can be mitigated by receiving treatment for sleep apnea.

Some more advice on how to get a good night’s sleep: 

  • Never use nicotine, caffeine, or alcohol within at least six hours of bedtime.
  • Spices and acidic meals, in particular, have been linked to night sweats. 
  • Try to have a healthy diet. 
  • Consuming soy-based meals may help reduce the severity of hot flashes.
  • Do not eat a big dinner right before bed. 
  • Stay at a healthy, steady weight. 

If you want to get most out of your sleep time, try wearing loose, breathable clothing. Instead of wearing a thick, insulating blanket, try a fan or air conditioning to chill things down and get the blood flowing.

Make every effort to lessen your level of anxiety and tension. To unwind, try some yoga, a massage, or some light exercise. If you are feeling sad, worried, or having other issues, it is important to talk to a specialist in the field of mental health. Plan ahead of time and skip the naps. Maintaining a consistent bedtime requires establishing a routine, while naps may make it more difficult to drift off.

Make sure it’s comfortable in there for you to sleep by regulating the temperature and lighting. Buy a fan or a sleep mask if you need to, but making sure your bedroom is cold and dark can help you get the best sleep possible before night.

Avoid working out right before you turn in for the night. Exercise is crucial to a healthy lifestyle, but if you can, try to squeeze it into your schedule earlier in the day.

Life improves with better sleep.

Sleep apnea is underdiagnosed in women all over the world. Contact Air Liquide Healthcare right away to start living better thanks to better sleep. You can achieve more in your personal and professional life after receiving an accurate diagnosis and therapy.

Other resources:
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