Many of us do not even know that they have a symptom of stopping breathing during sleep. A person in the process of such an attack does not even wake up, so often learns about the problem only from relatives. The reasons for delaying breathing in a dream can be different, but you can not ignore them in any case!
What causes a delay in breathing during sleep?
The reasons for delaying breathing in a dream in adults can be divided into two types:
- the central ones.
- obstructive.
In the first case, it is a violation of the nervous system, or cardiovascular diseases, because of which the brain stops sending signals about the contraction of the respiratory muscles and the person gradually begins to experience oxygen starvation. In the second - about the various factors provoking the clamping of the vocal cords during sleep.
How does a breath hold in a dream?
In children, respiratory arrest may be caused by problems with adenoids, or tonsils, in adults, holding the breath in a dream does not depend on these factors. At the same time, other unfavorable aspects are important:
- smoking;
- alcoholism;
- cardiovascular diseases;
- hypertension ;
- excess weight.
The last of these factors is most interesting. Obesity leads to increased pressure on the vocal cords, their muscles gradually weaken. As a result, when the musculature relaxes during sleep, the fat mass compresses the airway and the person stops breathing.
The respiratory arrest lasts 10-40 seconds, after which the brain, testing hypoxia, gives an emergency response signal. The sleeper takes a deep breath, filling the lungs with air, and breathes normally for the next half hour, until the vocal cords come together again. Often the first breath is accompanied by a loud whistle or snoring , from which a person sometimes wakes himself up.
If you do not consult a doctor, you may experience side effects such as a feeling of constant fatigue, decreased mental activity, and others.