25 Sep 2025 : Do you also know anyone who is suffering from sleep apnea? The common sleep-related breathing disorder is characterised by repeated episodes of complete or partial airway obstruction during sleep, leading to pauses in breathing.
In an old video shared on Instagram by SPARSH Hospitals, Dr M Kalyan Chakravarthy, an ENT surgeon at SPARSH Hospital, provided crucial information about obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The doctor explained that if left untreated, OSA can lead to serious long-term health issues such as heart disease, stroke, hypertension, and diabetes, potentially reducing one’s lifespan and common symptoms include loud snoring and daytime fatigue.
‘Sleep apnea can even shorten the span of your life’
In the video from January 2024, Dr Chakravarthy said: “If undiagnosed, obstructive sleep apnea can cause multiple problems in the long run. It can cause heart disease. It can even lead to stroke or hypertension, diabetes, or even shorten the span of your life.”
He explained that obstructive sleep apnea is defined as an obstruction in the upper airway that occurs during deep sleep when throat muscles relax and collapse. However, in children, enlarged tonsils and adenoids are typically the cause of the blockage. “So what is obstructive sleep apnea? Obstructive sleep apnea is believed to happen because there is an obstruction in your upper airway, and this happens when you are in deep sleep,” Dr Chakravarthy said.
Sleep apnea in children vs adults
He said, “Your throat muscles relax and they collapse, leading to the obstruction. Whereas in children, large tonsils adenoids cause the obstruction. So, how do we deal with this? First thing you have to do is get in touch with your ENT surgeon because they are the people who would be able to diagnose this, investigate it, and offer treatment for this.”
Want to manage sleep apnea? Click here for pulmonologist-approved tips about lifestyle changes and breathing exercises for a better sleep environment and improved sleep quality.
Summary:
A surgeon has shed light on sleep apnea, a disorder where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep, highlighting its symptoms, risks, and the importance of timely treatment.