My younger brother and I shared the same bedroom for almost seven years. In the first year, he doesn't complain about anything. We have been co-existing in the room peacefully. However, everything changed in the last two years. Before, we even had the same ENT doctor in Singapore, but for the past few years, we couldn't even share the same room without biting each other's heads off.
I thought it was just because he was hitting puberty and entering his teenage years that he had become fussier about my presence in the room. He constantly complained about anything and everything, especially with my, according to him, thunderous snoring.
My mum was worried not about our constant bickering but my alleged loud snoring. She said a 21-year-old man like me shouldn't be snoring at a young age. According to her, it could be an indication of cardiovascular diseases. So, the next day, we visited our ENT doctor at Mount Elizabeth.
I had sleep apnea in Singapore
When we visited our ear, nose, and throat specialist, he already had an impression that I had sleep apnea based on my signs and symptoms and sleeping history. But he still had to undergo some tests for the sleep apnea diagnosis in Singapore.
My doctor had subjected me to a home sleep test first. The exam's objective was to monitor my heart rate, blood oxygen level, airflow and breathing patterns while asleep.
We returned two days later: and he finally gave the diagnosis: sleep apnea.
I asked my doctor what gave it away and made an impression of sleep apnea. He said it was my weight and me being a male. I was a bit confused, but he explained what sleep apnea in Singapore is and reiterated its risk factors.
My doctor said sleep apnea is a condition where a person repeatedly pauses breathing while asleep. Snoring is a rather loud and annoying sign of sleep apnea in Singapore.
My risk factors
My ear, nose, and throat specialist wasn't being sexist or gender discriminating when he said that males are more likely to suffer from sleep apnea in Singapore.
He said, anatomically, males have at greater risk of developing sleep apnea due to their harrower upper airways. It is also the reason why sleep apnea is prevalent in older males. But wait, I am far from old. I am young at 21; why would I develop sleep apnea?
It was due to my excessive weight. I started gaining weight two years ago. From 70 kilos, I had reached 110 kilos. I was overweight, bordering on obese based on my BMI. According to my ENT doctor in Singapore, my weight contributed largely to my condition.
According to him, fats in the upper body and neck squeeze the airways, making them even narrower. It results in difficulty in breathing and snoring.
Other risk factors include smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, and other existing medical conditions. Fortunately, these factors do not apply to me.
My treatment plan
Thankfully, my case of sleep apnea in Singapore was not that severe, and apparently, my brother was exaggerating when he said I was snoring like a boar in excruciating pain.
My treatment plan only consisted of weight management. My ENT doctor at Mount Elizabeth said that reducing my weight and going back to normal weight would drastically improve my sleeping condition.
However, if it didn't work, we could discuss using a CPAP machine or the continuous positive airways machine.
From there on, I switched to a healthier diet. My ear, nose, and throat specialist also referred me to a nutritionist to help with my diet.
Six months into my lifestyle change
Apart from my diet, I also exercised regularly. I played basketball with my brother every weekend and rode my bike every morning.
In three months, I lost eight kilos. Now I weigh 80 kilos. That is 20 kilos less than my previous weight of 100 kilograms.
Truly enough, my snoring has decreased, or according to my brother, has grown quieter. I never noticed my sleep apnea in Singapore also caused my daytime sleepiness. After reducing my weight, I felt energised every morning.
My ENT doctor in Singapore said it was a pleasing result and a drastic improvement. Continuing it means more silent nights to come, not only for me but also for my brother.
You can have a good night's sleep, too!
If you are the same as me, suffering from sleep apnea, I recommend consulting an ear, nose, and throat specialist.
My ENT doctor at ENT Surgeons in Mount Elizabeth provides treatments for sleep apnea in Singapore. Apart from sleep apnea, they can also treat other sinus and ear conditions.
You can have a good night sleep and an energised morning, too! If you want expert care for your sleeping disorders, sinus, and ear problems, visit ENT Surgeons today!
