Relationship
Not all snoring is created equal
When people are unable to differentiate between your snore and a locomotive engine or a trumpet that could break down walls, it may not just be a nuisance to your bed and housemates, but it may signal a serious medical condition.
Loud snoring may be a warning that you have Sleep Apnoea, a condition that opens doors to several serious life-threatening complications.
Not every snoring is associated with sleep apnoea and also there may be sleep apnoea without snoring.
Sleep Medicine is no luxury, we need to do everything possible to get good quality sleep, especially when sleep is one of the greatest legal performance enhancing ‘drugs’ known to man.
In sleep apnoea, breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. It may be as often as 30 times in an hour. This shortchanges our brain of oxygen, and it is a potentially dangerous sleep disorder.
Types of Sleep Apnoea;
• Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA)
o The commonest by far. Throat muscles relax and block flow of air
• Central Sleep Apnoea
o Brain does not send proper signals to muscles controlling breathing
• Complex Sleep Apnoea
What may signal Sleep Apnoea/ What to look out for
• Loud snoring
• Episodes in which you stop breathing during sleep — which would be reported by another person
• Gasping for air during sleep
• Awakening with a dry mouth
• Morning headache
• Difficulty staying asleep, known as insomnia
• Excessive daytime sleepiness, known as hypersomnia
• Difficulty paying attention while awake
• Irritability
• You may just not be able to complete a movie?
• Involved in minor accidents at home, work or even on the road?
Get checked out. Even children may suffer from sleep apnoea.
What increases our chance of developing Sleep Apnoe?
• Excess weight or fat.
• Neck circumference. People with thicker necks might have narrower airways.
• A narrowed airway. Tonsils or adenoids also can enlarge and block the airway, particularly in children.
• Being male. Men are two to three times more likely to have sleep apnea than women. However, women increase their risk if they’re overweight or if they’ve gone through menopause.
• Being older. Sleep apnea occurs significantly more often in older adults.
• Family history. Having family members with sleep apnea might increase your risk.
• Use of alcohol, sedatives or tranquilisers.
• Smoking. Smokers are three times more likely to have obstructive sleep apnoea
• Nasal congestion. If you have trouble breathing through your nose — whether from an anatomical problem or allergies — you’re more likely to develop obstructive sleep apnea.
• Medical conditions. Congestive heart failure, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes are some of the conditions that may increase the risk of obstructive sleep apnea. Polycystic ovary syndrome, hormonal disorders, prior stroke and chronic lung diseases such as asthma also can increase risk.
What complications may
occur from untreated Sleep
Apnoea
Sleep apnea is a serious medical condition. Complications of OSA can include:
• Daytime fatigue. The repeated awakenings associated with sleep apnea make typical, restorative sleep impossible, in turn making severe daytime drowsiness, fatigue and irritability likely.
You might have trouble concentrating and find yourself falling asleep at work, while watching TV or even when driving. People with sleep apnea have an increased risk of motor vehicle and workplace accidents.
You might also feel quick-tempered, moody or depressed. Children and adolescents with sleep apnea might perform poorly in school or have behaviour problems.
• High blood pressure or heart problems. Sudden drops in blood oxygen levels that occur during OSA increase blood pressure and strain the cardiovascular system. Having OSA increases your risk of high blood pressure.
OSA might also increase your risk of recurrent heart attack, stroke and irregular heartbeats, such as atrial fibrillation. If you have heart disease, multiple episodes of low blood oxygen (hypoxia or hypoxemia) can lead to sudden death from an irregular heartbeat.
• Type 2 diabetes. Having sleep apnea increases your risk of developing insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
• Metabolic syndrome. This disorder, which includes high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol levels, high blood sugar and an increased waist circumference, is linked to a higher risk of heart disease
• Liver & Kidney problems
• Sleep-deprived room or house mates
• Complications during surgery and also with some medication
Lifestyle modifications that may help
• Lose excess fat. Even a slight weight loss might help relieve constriction of your throat. In some cases, sleep apnea can resolve if you return to a healthy weight, but it can recur if you regain weight.
• Exercise. Regular exercise can help ease the symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea even without weight loss.
• Avoid alcohol and certain medicines such as tranquilisers and sleeping pills. These relax the muscles in the back of your throat, interfering with breathing.
• Sleep on your side or abdomen rather than on your back. Sleeping on your belly has many posture related challenges but we may adopt that briefly as we work on definitive treatment.
• Don’t smoke.
Diagnosis and Treatment
There is help so if you think you may have sleep apnoea do not hesitate to speak to your doctor.
A few questions, examination and Sleep Studies and a diagnoses may be reached and the appropriate treatment, advice or support systems put in place.
Yes, the options vary from just lifestyle modifications to the famous CPAP, implants and even surgery BUT do seek help, not only will you feel brand-new when the condition is resolved, you may be saving relationships.
……definitely not all snoring is created equal. Find out about yours.
AS ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, ENSURE HYGIENE, WALK AND PRAY EVERYDAY AND REMEMBER IT’S A PRICELESS GIFT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS (blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, BMI)
Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
Health Essentials Ltd (HE&W Group)
(dressel@healthessentialsgh.com)
*Dr. Essel is a Medical Doctor with a keen interest in Lifestyle Medicine, He holds an MBA and is an ISSA Specialist in Exercise Therapy, Fitness Nutrition and Corrective Exercise. He is the author of the award-winning book, ‘Unravelling The Essentials of Health & Wealth.’
Thought for the week (1) – “I am hard pressed to choose the greatest legal performance enhancing drug. Is it good quality Sleep or Exercise?”
By Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
Navigating social media boundaries as a couple can be a tricky task. With constant access to our loved ones’ lives that social media provides, it’s important to establish clear boundaries to ensure a healthy relationship. Here are a few tips to help couples navigate this challenge.
1. Have an Open and Honest Conversation
The first step in setting boundaries on social media is to have an open and honest conversation with your partner about how you both feel regarding social media usage in the relationship.
Having these conversations can be difficult but are essential to creating understanding and mutual respect.
2. Be Specific
When having the conversation, it is important to be specific about the behavior that bothers you and the boundaries you would like to set.
Instead of making general statements like, “You spend too much time on social media,” try saying something like:
“I feel neglected when you are on your phone for extended periods during our conversations. Can we set a limit on phone usage during our quality time together?”
3. Be Considerate
Be considerate and understanding of your partner’s points of view and try to find solutions that satisfy both parties.
Remember, setting boundaries is not about controlling or limiting each other; it’s about creating a healthy balance and fostering a strong, trusting relationship.
Social media can be a great way to stay connected with friends and family, but when it comes to romantic relationships, it’s important to establish boundaries to ensure it doesn’t interfere with the quality of the relationship.
4. Agree on Social Media Etiquette
Creating social media etiquette guidelines between romantic partners can be a sensitive topic, but it can also be a helpful tool in maintaining a healthy relationship.
Social media etiquette is a set of guidelines that outline how you and your partner will interact on social media and what is and isn’t acceptable behavior.
This can include:
- Whether or not you will follow each other on social media
- What kind of photos you will post of each other
- How you will interact with other people online
One important aspect of social media etiquette is setting boundaries around privacy.
5. Respect Each Other’s Privacy
Respect for each other’s privacy is one of the most critical aspects of social media boundaries.
This includes:
- Not snooping on your partner’s social media accounts
- Not sharing personal information about them online
- Not posting pictures or status updates that they may be uncomfortable with
6. Don’t Use Social Media as a Measure of Your Relationship
Social media should not be used as a benchmark for the health and happiness of your own relationship.
In today’s world, it’s easy to get caught up in the constant stream of images and updates that friends, family, and even strangers share about their romantic lives.
It is important to focus on your relationship rather than compare it to the selective versions of other people’s relationships you see online. Every relationship is different and has its own set of challenges and successes. Focus on what makes your relationship unique and special.
Conclusion
Setting boundaries on social media when in a relationship is essential for maintaining a healthy and happy connection.
Key factors include:
- Open and honest communication
- Respect for each other’s privacy
- Not using social media to measure your relationship
By following these steps, couples can navigate social media boundaries effectively and strengthen their relationship.
— Source: Arkansas Relationship Counselling Centre
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Navigating social media boundaries as a couple can be a tricky task. With the constant access to our loved ones’ lives that social media provides, it’s important to establish clear boundaries in order to ensure a healthy relationship. Here are a few tips to help couples.
Have an open and honest conversation
The first step in setting boundaries on social media is to have an open and honest conversation with your partner about how you both feel about social media usage in the relationship. Having open and honest conversations with your romantic partner about setting boundaries on social media usage can be a difficult but important task.
Be specific
When having the conversation, it is important to be specific about the behaviour that is bothering you and the boundaries you would like to set. Instead of making general statements like, “you spend too much time on social media,” try saying something like, “I feel neglected when you are on your phone for extended periods of time during our conversations. Can we set a limit on phone usage during quality time together?”
Be considerate
Be considerate and understanding of your partner’s points of view, and try to find a solution that satisfies both parties. Remember, setting boundaries is not about controlling or limiting each other; instead, it’s about creating a healthy balance and fostering a strong, trusting relationship. Social media can be a great way to stay connected with friends and family, but when it comes to romantic relationships, it’s important to establish boundaries to ensure that it doesn’t interfere with the quality of the relationship.
Agree on social media etiquette
Creating social media etiquette guidelines between romantic partners can be a sensitive topic, but it can also be a helpful tool in maintaining a healthy relationship. Social media etiquette is a set of guidelines that outline how you and your partner will interact on social media and what is and isn’t acceptable behaviour. This can include things like whether or not you will follow each other on social media, what kind of photos you will post of each other, and how you will interact with other people online. One important aspect of social media etiquette is setting boundaries around privacy.
Respect each other’s privacy
One of the most critical aspects of social media boundaries is respect for each other’s privacy. This includes not snooping on your partner’s social media accounts, not sharing personal information about them on social media, and not posting pictures or status updates that they may be uncomfortable with.
Don’t use social media as a measure of your relationship
Do not use social media as a measure of your relationship is a reminder that the highlight reel of someone’s relationship that they choose to share on social media should not be used as a benchmark for the health and happiness of your own relationship. In today’s world, it’s easy to get caught up in the constant stream of images and updates that friends, family, and even strangers share about their romantic lives on social media. It is important to focus on your relationship, rather than compare it to the selective versions of other people’s relationships you see online. Every relationship is different and has its own set of challenges and successes. Instead, focus on what makes your relationship unique and special.
Conclusion
In conclusion, setting boundaries on social media when in a relationship is important to maintaining a healthy and happy relationship. Open and honest communication, respect for each other’s privacy, and not using social media to measure the relationship are all critical factors in navigating social media boundaries as a couple.
— Source: Arkansas Relationship Counselling Centre
