People with sleep apnea feel exhausted the next day, even after getting a “full” night’s rest. The very idea of having blocked or lapsed breathing is frightening enough, but those who really have it also suffer from secondary concerns including marital troubles, weight gain, and reduced cognitive functioning. These problems are caused by the secondary effects of the primary condition.
Even more concerning, research has shown that long-term impacts might hasten the development of hereditary characteristics such as androgenetic alopecia.
In addition, there is a correlation between increased stress and living with sleep apnea, which raises further concerns regarding sleep and hair loss. This link cannot be denied. These preliminary findings raise the question of whether or not sleep apnea may lead to hair loss.
The Major Cause of Hair Loss
Certain haircuts that put a lot of stress on the follicles and the scalp, as well as treatments (such using hot oil);
Certain hormonal and medical situations, like pregnancy, thyroid problems, and alopecia areata;
Hair loss can be predicted by looking at a person’s family history. Androgenetic alopecia, often known as male-pattern baldness or female-pattern baldness, is the most prevalent cause of hair loss.
A traumatic incident or chronic stress
Medications and health supplements connected to high blood pressure, arthritis, and some kinds of cancer
A study on sleep that was conducted in 2017 found a variety of connections between chronic sleep loss and both short-term and long-term health problems. The stress that is brought on by ongoing disturbance might hasten the manifestation of hereditary characteristics like androgenetic alopecia.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Alopecia
There is not a clear causative connection between alopecia and sleep apnea; nonetheless, there is sufficient data to show a link between the two conditions. It is normal for people to have daily hair loss, which is followed by the growth of new hair as a replacement. The circadian rhythm, also known as an internal clock, plays a role in this process.
A study that was done in 2014 discovered a connection between maintaining a regular circadian rhythm and maintaining the integrity of newly regenerated stem cell tissue. Hair follicles were affected by the extended interruption in the sleep-wake cycles of the animals that were studied.
The findings raise additional concerns about the possible connection between insufficient sleep and thinning hair in humans.
The sleep-wake cycle has an impact on the production of melatonin, which is occasionally used topically as a treatment for balding or thinning hair. Secretion of melatonin occurs during typical periods of sleep, although this process can be hampered by conditions such as irregular sleep-wake cycles or chronic tiredness, both of which are symptoms of sleep apnea.
Connection Between Poor sleep quality, OSA, and hair loss.
The most frequent type of sleep apnea is called obstructive sleep apnea, and it is defined by the relaxation of the muscles of the throat. The relaxation makes it more difficult for air to move through, which results in snoring and a drop in the amount of oxygen in the blood.
When the brain detects that a person is exerting themselves to breathe, it temporarily rouses them from sleep (so brief a sleeper may not remember). This cycle may recur more frequently than thirty times every hour during the night.
The disturbance accumulates over time, resulting in persistent fatigue and, in some circumstances, a neurobiological ‘cost’ or ‘sleep debt.’ A lack of quality sleep is the first step in the cycle of sleep deprivation and hair loss. This leads to increased stress in one’s personal, professional, and familial life, which in turn adds to hair loss.
How does stress play a role in the thinning of hair that is associated with sleep apnea?
This can occur in one of three ways:
Psychosomatic reactions to stress, such as tugging at one’s hair or eyebrows, have been shown to be triggered by stress. Trichotillomania is an impulse control disorder that causes patients to compulsively pull off their hair.
When a person is under a significant amount of stress, their hair follicles enter a dormant or sleeping state. Because of the accumulation, the impacted hairs become more likely to break off when they are washed or combed in the future.
Severe stress triggers an immune system reaction, such as that seen in alopecia areata, which instructs the body to target hair follicles, resulting in hair loss.
Sleep Apnea Remedies
The condition can be treated with a variety of treatments, both at home and at medical facilities.
Increasing oxygen flow in the body by physical activity (yoga, running, etc.); this may be done by:
Keeping a healthy weight
Utilizing oral appliances (to keep airways open when sleeping)
Staying away from alcoholic beverages and tobacco products
CPAP treatment is something that medical professionals could recommend. Sleep apnea sufferers are able to reap the advantages of a restful night’s sleep thanks to the unblocking of their breathing passages by a CPAP machine. The continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine produces a steady flow of air and exerts just the right amount of pressure to keep the airway in the back of the neck open while the user sleeps soundly.
Benefits of Using a CPAP Machine Include:
Lower chance of getting type 2 diabetes
Lower risk of developing heart disease and stroke
an increase in attentiveness throughout the day
an improvement in both focus and emotional steadiness
In Conclusion
Consider undergoing a sleep study if you are experiencing symptoms that may be connected to sleep apnea symptoms or if you suspect that you may have sleep apnea. Not getting enough sleep may lead to a range of health problems, including heart disease, poor performance at work, and strained personal relationships, in addition to hair loss.
When it comes to enhancing the overall quality of your life, conducting research is an essential step. The most effective therapy as well as preventative measures can be prescribed by specialists once a thorough diagnostic has been performed.
You have access to a number of different sleep tests, all of which are directed by knowledgeable and compassionate experts at Air Liquide Healthcare who are standing by to assist you.
Is Sleep Apnea associated with an increased risk to cancer?
It is common knowledge that sleep apnea can wreak havoc on our normal sleeping habits, our ability to remain attentive during the day, and our mental health. But the potential harm that might be caused by this illness that can at times render a person helpless is becoming increasingly clear to us. Sleep apnea has been connected to diseases as dangerous as diabetes and cancer, and a study has shown how closely associated sleep apnea is with cancer. Diabetes and cancer are two of the most significant diseases that may be associated with sleep apnea.
The goal of the study was to find out what kind of link there is between how bad sleep apnea symptoms and how likely it is that a person will get certain cancers.
How much serious will it be? According to the study’s findings, having sleep apnea does not just increase your chances of getting cancer by a small margin; rather, the severity of your sleep apnea can increase your risk by 20 to 30 percent.
In order to carry out the study, the researchers looked at information provided by more than 33,000 individuals. They discovered that people who did not have cancer at the start of the study had a 7 percent chance of developing it over the course of seven years. A severe form of obstructive sleep apnea was linked to a 15% increased risk of developing cancer when compared to no sleep apnea at all. Click here to get how can sleep apnea cause high blood pressure?
According to the findings of the study, those individuals with obstructive sleep apnea who went on to acquire cancer were more likely to have lung cancer and colorectal cancer than any other form of cancer. Block has some opinions about why these specific malignancies are so much more frequent, despite the fact that the researchers didn’t offer any hypotheses about why this was the case.
Patients who are obese are more likely to have obstructive sleep apnea and colorectal cancer, two conditions that are associated with obesity. As for the development of lung cancer, people who smoke have an increased risk of developing this sort of cancer, which may also contribute to or be the cause of sleep apnea.
According to sleep specialist, patients who are concerned about the possibility of acquiring comorbid diseases in addition to their sleep apnea should have an evaluation performed by an expert in sleep apnea and be fitted for a personalised sleep orthotic. We do not know how many of the patients in the research were undergoing therapy for sleep apnea at the time they were diagnosed with cancer. However, we do know that treatment for sleep apnea can enhance quality of life.
Patients with scleroderma who have OSA may have an increased risk of hypertension.
Patients who have scleroderma and also have obstructive sleep apnea have been shown to be at an increased risk of developing pulmonary hypertension, according to the findings of a recent study that was published in the journal Sleep and Breathing.
Scleroderma is an autoimmune disease that leads to a hardening of the connective tissue that is found throughout the body. It is possible for it to cause the skin to become thickened and develop scar tissue, both of which can harm internal organs such as the heart, lungs, and kidneys. Even though we don’t know what causes scleroderma, we do know that it affects women more frequently than it does males. In fact, Scleroderma News reports that women are three to four times more likely to be diagnosed with the condition than men. Scleroderma is often found together with lupus and fibromyalgia, which affect women more often than men.
According to the article “Sleep and Breathing,” an astounding 90 percent of people who have scleroderma will face some kind of lung-related difficulties. One of these concerns is pulmonary arterial hypertension, which affects 40 percent of people who have scleroderma.
On the other hand, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep condition that causes the patient’s throat muscles to relax while they are sleeping. Snoring and trouble breathing are both symptoms of an obstruction in the airway, which is brought on by this condition. However, it is not the end of the story. According to a dental practitioner, obstructive sleep apnea can be a contributing factor in a range of mental health issues as well as a worsening of illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
In the study titled “Sleep and Breathing,” researchers analysed the collected data from 62 individuals diagnosed with scleroderma who had been given sleep evaluations. Among those people, 43 had a form of scleroderma known as restricted scleroderma, whereas 19 had a form of scleroderma known as diffuse scleroderma.
According to the findings of the study, individuals diagnosed with diffuse scleroderma were more likely to experience pulmonary complications than those diagnosed with limited scleroderma. This was determined by the researchers by measuring the patients’ main pulmonary artery diameter, abbreviated as mPAD. A bigger main pulmonary artery diameter was found in the individuals who suffered from both scleroderma and sleep apnea symptoms at the same time. This shows that people with OSA have a much higher chance of developing mPAD.
The results of the study show that people with obstructive sleep apnea are 4.7 times more likely to have a larger main pulmonary artery diameter.Despite the fact that the limited study did not investigate any treatments for sleep apnea, it is advised that individuals who have this disease should get it checked out as soon as possible. He says to talk to a professional sleep doctor and have a custom sleep orthotic made to help keep the airway open and make it easier to breathe while sleeping.
How closely linked are sleep apnea and hypertension? To what extent does obstructive sleep apnea contribute to the development of high blood pressure? When persons with sleep apnea utilize continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), does their blood quality improve? Keep reading to get the details on all of this and more.
The link between obstructive sleep apnea and hypertension
Hypertension is the medical word for high blood pressure. If your systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure readings have been persistently high across many measurements, you have high blood pressure. Sleep apnea and pulmonary hypertension are related, however pulmonary hypertension is a distinct medical condition and deserves its own page. An average blood pressure reading should be about 120 over 80. In order to determine if you have prehypertension or hypertension, refer to the following blood pressure chart:
The most prevalent form of sleep apnea, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and the one most linked to cardiovascular problems including hypertension and heart disease, will be discussed in this article. A sleep apnea test is necessary for the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a sleep condition caused by disordered breathing during sleep characterized by repeated episodes of partial or complete throat closure. Chronic, excessively noisy snoring is a hallmark symptom of obstructive sleep apnea. Both in-lab and at-home sleep apnea tests (simply called sleep studies) are acceptable for this purpose. Sleep apnea is diagnosed when a doctor examines the results of a sleep study. Learn more for adapting to CPAP therapy for your sleep apnea.
The Dysfunctional Relationship Between Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Hypertension
Independent of other risk variables like weight, several studies suggest that people with OSA are more likely to develop hypertension. It appears that sleep apnea is linked to diastolic or combination systolic/diastolic hypertension more so than systolic HTN alone. One’s risk of developing hypertension is increased by 50% in those with moderate sleep apnea, defined as an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) of 5-15 (an average of 5-15 irregular breathing occurrences per hour). An AHI between 15 and 30 indicates moderate sleep apnea, and those with this condition have three times the risk of developing hypertension as those without the condition. This pattern is consistent with what doctors refer to as a “dose-response curve” between OSA and hypertension: the more severe the sleep apnea, the higher the risk of hypertension. An association of this nature provides the strongest proof possible that two seemingly unrelated medical disorders are, in fact, connected.
Explaining the Link Between Sleep Apnea and Hypertension
Each episode of irregular breathing puts a significant strain on your body. Your body’s “sympathetic nervous system” will activate in response to this. The “fight or flight” response triggers a cascade of harmful physiological reactions within the body, such as a rise in heart rate and a decrease in blood oxygen levels. Systolic blood pressure has been seen to rise far into the 190s during atypical obstructive breathing episodes in studies where blood pressure was recorded directly through a catheter inserted in an arm artery.
It is hypothesised that the pathophysiology (bad physiological changes in the body) of chronic stress on the body while it should be recovering during sleep is responsible for the association between sleep apnea and hypertension.
Untreated OSA is associated with an increase in “diurnal” (daytime) blood pressure, which can progress to hypertension if left untreated. Higher morning blood pressure measurements are generally the first indicator of this problem.
Resistant Hypertension and Sleep Apnea
High blood pressure that is not well controlled by three different blood pressure drugs is considered resistant hypertension. One of the most prevalent symptoms of resistant hypertension is sleep apnea. Eighty-five percent of those with resistant hypertension are also diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, according to studies. A sleep apnea testing is recommended for those who have been diagnosed with resistant hypertension.
Indirect (or Secondary) Hypertension
High blood pressure condition that is caused by another health issue is called “secondary hypertension.” One of the most prevalent reasons why people develop secondary hypertension is sleep apnea. All of them are included below.
Conditions include sleep apnea, renal artery stenosis, pheochromocytoma, primary aldosteronism, chronic kidney disease, Cushing’s syndrome, and aortic coarctation are all linked to sleep deprivation.
Young, otherwise healthy people who have been diagnosed with high blood pressure should get a sleep study to rule out obstructive sleep apnea as the major cause of their hypertension.
Can Blood Pressure Be Reduced With CPAP Alternatives?
When it comes to lowering blood pressure, CPAP is the therapy of choice for sleep apnea. When CPAP was compared to oxygen therapy for treating sleep apnea, it was found to significantly improve blood pressure. This makes it logical, as we attribute the blood pressure/sleep apnea connection to the “fight or flight” reaction activating repeatedly throughout sleep, rather than the oxygen dips that are also induced by sleep apnea. Because of CPAP, the throat doesn’t have to close, thus there’s no need to go into “fight or flight” mode. Even while there isn’t a tonne of data on the effectiveness of non-CPAP sleep apnea solutions, such as oral appliances, the findings of the studies that have been conducted show that they may be just as effective.
The Impact of Sleep Apnea Therapy on Blood Pressure
The continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine, or its close relative the BiPAP machine, is the gold standard therapy for sleep apnea. Using CPAP consistently has been linked to a modest but noticeable drop of roughly 3 mm Hg in blood pressure. Reducing blood pressure by just 3 mm Hg may not seem like much, but it has been shown to significantly lower the risk of future cardiovascular events including heart attack, stroke, and heart failure. In addition, it is generally agreed that those with resistant hypertension and sleep apnea will have a hard time maintaining normal blood pressure until their sleep apnea is treated. It would be fantastic if high blood pressure could be lowered without the need of drugs, which come with their own set of downsides. It is possible that a CPAP machine is the sole treatment necessary to return blood pressure to normal in those with secondary hypertension caused by sleep apnea.
Take Away
Sleep apnea is strongly linked to hypertension.
Sleep apnea may be the primary cause or a key contributing factor to hypertension in some people.
Over time, sleep apnea causes daytime hypertension by preventing the natural lowering of blood pressure that occurs during sleep.
Sleep apnea testing is recommended if your high blood pressure is resistant to treatment.
In the long run, untreated sleep apnea can lead to hypertension.
Those with hypertension should be given a CPAP or BiPAP equipment to help with their sleep apnea.
Lowering blood pressure and improving heart health, as shown in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases including heart attack, stroke, and heart failure, are two of the many benefits of treating sleep apnea with a CPAP machine.
Read More
If you have been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, your physician will most likely advise you to undergo treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). This treatment approach may cause some discomfort, particularly in the beginning, but it does have the potential to improve a person’s quality of sleep by reducing the likelihood that they may wake up throughout the night due to breathing problems.
However, if you don’t use your CPAP machine because it’s too uncomfortable, you might be putting your health in danger. If not attend sleep apnea treatment, can lead to a number of serious health issues, including high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and others. At Air Liquide Healthcare, our goal is to make the breathing equipment that is used to treat sleep apnea as user-friendly and pleasant as possible. In order to be of assistance, we have compiled a list of suggestions that will help you become accustomed to the use of a CPAP machine.
What Exactly Is a CPAP?
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines, which belong to the PAP therapy category, are the form of treatment for obstructive sleep apnea that is used the most frequently. The continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine applies a consistent and constant air pressure to the user throughout the night in order to maintain the individual’s airway open. This helps prevent the soft tissues from collapsing. However, in the initial phases of use, when the user is still getting used to wearing it each night, this constant air pressure might cause a little bit of pain due to the fact that it is so unfamiliar.
Guide on How to Adapt to the Use of a CPAP Machine
You may have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep throughout the night if you aren’t used to using a CPAP machine, which is a major inconvenience given that your sleep apnea is always causing you to feel tired and unrested. If you aren’t used to using a CPAP machine, you may have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep throughout the night. If you want to avoid putting your health at risk by not sleep apnea treatment, the following guide will provide you with some tips on how to become accustomed to using a CPAP machine while you sleep.
Make the Necessary Modifications to Your CPAP Mask.
When attempting to use a CPAP machine, one of the most prevalent causes of pain is a face mask that does not fit properly. Investigate the possible causes of the issue you’re having with your mask. When you move about in your sleep, do you find that it falls out or slides around? When you remove it in the morning, does it leave your face with red stains or indentations?
Determine the kinds of modifications that need to be done in order to increase the level of comfort, and make the modifications when you are lying down in a sleeping position in order to see how it will fit while you are sleeping. If you make a few modifications to the face mask, but you still feel that it doesn’t fit perfectly, your sleep physician will be able to assist you in ensuring that the mask fits appropriately.
Take in Lots of water.
It is not unusual to have dry mouth as a side effect of using a CPAP machine due to the consistent and continuous air pressure that is forced into your airways by the device. This dry mouth can irritate your throat, which not only makes it hard to use a CPAP machine but also keeps you awake at night. If you suffer from dry mouth as a result of using CPAP, increasing the amount of liquids you consume throughout the day may be able to assist stimulate saliva production and provide some relief.
See Also: Can Sleep Apnea Contributes to Hair Loss?
Try to Relax When Tired: Don’t Overstretch Yourself.
When you first start using a CPAP mask, you might discover that it’s difficult to get to sleep with it on your face. If you go to bed before your mind and body are ready to go to sleep, the only thing you may be able to focus your attention on is the pain caused by the CPAP machine. If you go to bed before your mind and body are ready to fall asleep, you may have trouble falling asleep. Instead, we suggest going to bed just when you are completely ready to nod off within a short period of time. Because of this, using the CPAP machine, which you aren’t as comfortable with yet, will make it simpler for you to go asleep. Additionally, this will help your body become acclimated to falling asleep with the mask on.
If Necessary, Change the Kind of CPAP Mask You’re Using
It is possible that you may need to switch to a different kind of mask if making modifications to the one you are now wearing does not make it more comfortable for you to wear throughout the night. Examine the patterns of your nightly slumber. Do you sleep on your side? Do you lay on your back while you sleep? Do you move about in your sleep? Your sleep doctor may be able to decide the type of CPAP mask that will be most comfortable for you based on how you normally arrange yourself when you are sleeping.
Find a Professional to Help You with Your CPAP Therapy.
Patients who use one of these breathing machine choices may experience a relief of their symptoms, enabling them to enjoy a more restful night’s sleep and improved functionality during the day. The treatment with CPAP should be adjusted such that it provides you with the maximum benefit possible. Your doctor should be able to provide you with advice in the event that you require assistance in order to increase the degree of comfort you experience while using the CPAP machine.Air Liquide Healthcare is able to provide the breathing machine that you require once you have selected the method of treating sleep apnea that you will be pursuing moving ahead. Get in touch with us if you have any questions regarding the breathing equipment that we offer to people who suffer from sleep apnea.
