A pathophysiologist has identified the causes of sleep apnea

Obesity or hypertension can lead to sleep apnea - a temporary cessation of breathing, Sergei Stepanov, a senior lecturer at the Department of Fundamental Medical Disciplines at the State University of Education and a pathophysiologist, told Izvestia on November 24.

"As a rule, sleep on the back leads to apnea. Most often the cause of its occurrence - the tongue depression and weakness of the soft palate, which is adjacent to the back wall of the pharynx, as a result of which for a short period of time breathing stops," he noted.

According to the expert, after a temporary cessation of breathing, a person sharply, forcefully inhales or exhales air. Soft palate vibrations occur and the sound of snoring is formed. If a person snores, it means that he has periods of apnea, clarified the pathophysiologist.

"The provoking factors that lead to apnea are obesity or hypertension. Apnea is not the norm and it must be managed. Death from apnea will not occur - the person will still inhale. But apnea can lead to disruption of sleep patterns, as well as disruption of oxygen supply to organs, particularly the brain. A person with apnea does not sleep well, resulting in a decrease in his ability to work", - said Stepanov.

The expert explained that the best way to prevent apnea is to sleep on the side and do not eat fatty, heavy food before bedtime. If this does not help, you need to consult a doctor-somnologist, advised the pathophysiologist. He added that there are special devices for sleep, which helps to normalize breathing and remove periods of apnea.

Earlier, on April 27, the expert doctor of the Laboratory "Hemotest", neurologist Ekaterina Demyanovskaya told "Izvestia" that the quality of sleep is affected by many factors. First of all - compliance with sleep hygiene, which implies a certain behavior before going to sleep, organization of a place to rest, the order of actions when going to bed. In terms of organizing the place, the right choice of mattress and pillow plays an important role. According to the expert, incorrect position on the bed can lead to excessive muscle tension, cervical and lumbar pain, headaches, and sleep disorders.