DON’T IGNORE SNORES! Sawing logs is a serious health hazard
SNORING is not just a bedroom nightmare — experts warn it may be a serious health problem! People who saw logs face a higher risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease and dementia, new European studies reveal.
Snoring is the main symptom of oftenundiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which cuts off the body’s oxygen supply — potentially causing blood clots, tumors and loss of brain cells, say researchers. OSA is a common sleep disorder where the upper airway partially or totally collapses repeatedly during slumber, causing breathing to stop intermittently — leading to loud snoring, gasping, choking and daytime sleepiness.
People who are overweight, have diabetes, or who smoke or consume large amounts of alcohol are at greater risk for the condition, which may affect as many as 30 million Americans.
Those with OSA are often urged to lose weight, if needed, or sleep with a CPAP mask to ensure adequate airflow.
Dr. Andreas
Palm, of Sweden’s Uppsala University, says his team’s findings show oxygen deprivation due to OSA is “independently associated with cancer.”
Another study discovered OSA patients were more likely to develop blood clots that can trigger heart attacks and strokes.
“We found those who spent more than 6 percent of their nighttime with oxygen levels below 90 percent had an almost twofold risk of developing VTEs [blood clots],” says Professor Wojciech Trzepizur of France’s Angers University Hospital Center.
Other scientists have linked OSA to a loss of brain power! “Sleep apnea is related to cognitive decline, including processing speed and verbal memory,” cautions Dr. Nicola Marchi of Switzerland’s Lausanne University.
“We found that men and people 74 and older were at higher risk.”
These three studies show worrying associations between OSA and serious health conditions affecting survival and quality of life, says Professor Winfried Randerath, a University of Cologne sleep disorder specialist, who was not involved in the research. “People should be made aware of these links and try to make lifestyle changes to reduce their risk,” Randerath advises.