A study out of 70,000 people reveals that on weekends the obstructive apnea of sleep worsens for alcohol, smoke and irregular times. How to prevent it.
Long evenings, excesses with alcohol and cigarettes, and wakes up later: the typical mix of Weekend has a side effect. Researchers of the Flinders University detected a peak of the Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) between Saturday and Sunday, a baptized trend social apnea. A study on over 70,000 people, published onAmerican Journal of Respiration and Critical Care Medicinedocuments a significant increase in the severity of the OSA on the weekend.
Who suffers from OSA can go from mild to moderate or severe shapes just over the weekend: the participants were 18% more inclined to return to the moderate-season bands on Saturdays compared to Wednesday. “Accordion” sleep weighs: recover 45 minutes or more of extra sleep on the weekend is associated with a +47% risk. The profile varies for sex and age: men +21%, women +9%; under the 60 years +24%, beyond i 60 years +7%. A parallel analysis also highlights one Seasonality: gravity 8–19% higher in summer e winter.
The mechanisms: lighter sleep and disregarded therapies
THE’Alcohol – reads the study – reduces the tone of the airlines muscles and fragmes sleep; Irregular times move the rhythm of sleep towards lighter phases (more Rem), when the episodes of apnea increase; Over the weekend we tend to use the CPAP (a “mask” that pushes air to positive pressure and keeps the airways open during sleep) or oral appliances (made by a dentist to regulate the position of jaw and language, expanding the upper airways space). The environment also counts: in summer the high temperatures break sleep; In winter you sleep longer and later, with more Rem.
A single Polisonnography (a sleep exam) during the week can underestimate the disease: according to evaluations researchers On several nights and plans personalized help to better frame cases, in particular with comorbidity such as hypertension, diabetes, depression o cognitive decline, and for those who guide or carry out jobs at risk. Peaks of drowsiness and accidents are not rare.
What to do immediately: regularity and sleep hygiene
Among the suggestions provided by the authors of the study, the first is: regular hours. Point 7-9 hours per night and maintain a Alarm clock also on the weekend. Those who use CPAP devices should be careful not to suspend it on the weekend. Go to bed when you are sleepy, to encourage sleep deep.
For those Russian or wake up with a start, it may be worth talking about it with general practitioner or with a center of sleep.
