The dangers and symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) can go largely unnoticed and brushed off by the uninformed
Avira Medini Sales Gallery had opened its doors to a health and awareness talk; “How to Improve Your Sleep Quality” by Ear, Nose & Throat Surgeon Dr. Raj Kumar Krishen Lal which was jointly organised by Eastern & Oriental Berhad and Gleneagles Medini Johor.
The talk highlighted the symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea as:
- Snoring loudly at night (more than 3 times a week)
- The snores being louder than regular speech
- Excessive daytime sleepiness/fatigue during the day
- Poor sleep quality
- Choking sensation at night
- Decreased libido
The condition which is caused by an obstruction from the pharyngeal muscle collapse does not only cause immediate dangers such as falling asleep while driving or operating heavy machinery but also stops the body from fully recovering and repairing itself leading to an onset of forgetfulness and overall poorer health which may lead to a higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease.
With 16 years of experience under his belt, Dr. Raj points out that snoring occurs in 40-50% of adult men, 24% in adult women and 10% in children. This causes the brain and body to receive less oxygen and thus interrupts Non Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) sleep and Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep which are crucial to repair and regenerate tissues, releasing growth hormones, building bone and muscle, and strengthening the immune system.
The risks of developing OSA is increased with obesity and age as our muscles become less toned which will prevent us from attaining the 6-8 hours of sleep necessary for our body’s recovery. It is important that early diagnosis is done via a medical history, a sleep study or an endoscopy in order for treatment to be determined.
Two of the biggest factors stopping most of the population from seeking help for OSA are the lack of awareness and the cost which could be above RM1500. Dr Raj urges people to consider their health seriously because one third of our lifespan are spent sleeping and he candidly jokes that “our partners will have better sleep as well”.
After the talk, free blood pressure and blood glucose tests were sponsored by Eastern & Oriental Berhad for the participants along with a free basic health screening to the winners of the lucky draw held that day.
