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Obstructive sleep apnoea kills while you sleep …

Published

4 years ago

2022/03/17

Dr. Undugodage addresses the media at the Ramada. Dr. S. Rishikesavan, Consultant Respiratory Physician, District General Hospital, Chilaw is also present.

World Sleep Day tomorrow

The Sleep Assembly of the Sri Lanka College of Pulmonologists will launch sleepbetter.lk web page tomorrow (18) to coincide with the World Sleep Day.

Dr. Chandimani Undugodage, Consultant Respiratory Physician and Senior Lecturer Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Sri Jayawardenepura says Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) makes people vulnerable to diabetes, high blood pressure, heart attacks or strokes.

Addressing the media at Ramada on Tuesday (15), Dr. Undugodage said that snoring at night, sleeping during daytime and being overweight could be symptoms of one having OSA.

What is OSA?

Obstructive sleep Apnoea is a condition where you stop breathing during sleep. This occurs as a result of temporary closure of the upper airway that carry air to the lungs. Obesity is commonest risk factor for development of OSA.

What happens in OSA?

The airway that carries air to the lungs passes through the throat or the upper airway. When a person gains weight there is a lot of fat deposited in the neck, which makes the upper airway narrow.

When a person is awake, the airway is kept open by the muscles of the throat. But when he goes to sleep all the muscles relax and the already narrow airway becomes even narrower. When air passes in and out through this narrow airway it makes a noise, which is what snoring is. As the person goes into deep sleep, the muscles of the throat relax further and the airway becomes narrower; at one point the airway completely closes; then there is no movement of air in to the lungs and the person completely stops breathing. This is known as an “apnoea”

When this happens there is no air/oxygen going in to the lungs; which results in low levels of oxygen in the blood, brain and other organs. When the brain senses that the person is not breathing, it immediately brings the person from deep sleep to light sleep, or completely wakes that person up. Then the airway opens out and the person starts to breathe again. In those with OSA this happens over and over again in the night. Which leads many awakenings, with very little uninterrupted deep sleep. In the morning the person wakes up feeling unrefreshed and is sleepy during the day. This can result in loss of productivity during the day. Especially by falling asleep during work, at meetings and even while driving leading to road traffic accidents.

An episode of obstructive apnoea where the throat closes during sleep is comparable to strangulation. Imagine if someone strangles you, what will happen? You will panic, your heart rate will go up, blood pressure will go up and you would be under a lot of stress. A similar situation occurs during an apnoea in OSA. It produces a stressful situation in the body. There is release of stress hormones in to the blood. This leads to elevated blood pressure and blood sugar. With time this leads is development of diabetes and high blood pressure (hypertension). There is also a higher risk of getting a heart attack, stroke, abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) and dying suddenly while asleep (sudden cardiac death). OSA patients can also suffer from impotence. With time they become forgetful and there can be changes in their personality

When should you suspect OSA?

How is OSA diagnosed?

If you think you have OSA, you have to talk to your doctor. He or she will refer you to a specialist. A comprehensive sleep assessment will be done to look for other sleep related disorders. An overnight sleep study will be done to look for OSA. This is a simple test where your breathing, air flow, oxygen levels and heart rate are monitored and recorded. Once the data is looked at whether you have OSA or not can be determined.

How is OSA treated?

As OSA is about the closure of the throat during sleep, the treatment is aimed at keeping the throat open. The two main ways of treatment that is available in Sri Lanka are treatment with Continuous Positive Airway Pressure ventilation (CPAP) and surgery. CPAP – this is a small machine with a mask. The person wears the mask when going to sleep. The machine produces a jet of air which splints the airway open, without letting it close. Snoring stops immediately and the person wakes up refreshed in the morning

Surgery – surgical therapy is aimed at making the airway larger and thereby stopping the airway from closing. There are many types of surgeries available.

In addition weight reduction by diet and exercise is advised.

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Advisory for Severe Lightning issued to the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and Galle and Matara districts

Published

8 hours ago

2026/03/12

Priyan

Advisory for Severe Lightning Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre at 12.30 noon 12 March 2026 valid for the period until 11.00 p.m. 12 March 2026

Thundershowers accompanied with severe lightning are likely to occur at some places in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle and Matara districts after 2.00 p.m.

There may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers. General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning activity.

ACTION REQUIRED:
The Department of Meteorology advises that people should:
 Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
 Avoid open areas such as paddy fields, tea plantations and open water bodies during thunderstorms.
 Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.
 Avoid using open vehicles, such as bicycles, tractors and boats etc.
 Beware of fallen trees and power lines.
 For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities.

Latest News

Nasa spacecraft weighing 1,300lb due to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere

Published

9 hours ago

2026/03/12

Priyan

The two Van Allen Probes were launched in 2012 [BBC]

A Van Allen Probe spacecraft weighing more than 1,300lb (600kg) is expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere almost 14 years after its launch, Nasa says.

The spacecraft is projected to re-enter around 19:45 EDT (23:45 GMT) on Tuesday the US Space Force predicted, according to Nasa, though there is a 24-hour margin of “uncertainty” in the timing.

The Van Allen Probe A, which launched in 2012, is expected mostly to burn up as it travels through the atmosphere, though some components may survive.

The space agency said there is a one in 4,200 chance of being harmed by a piece of the probe, which it characterised as “low” risk.

The spacecraft and its twin, Van Allen Probe B, were on a mission to gather unprecedented data on Earth’s two permanent radiation belts.

It was not immediately clear where in Earth’s atmosphere the satellite is projected to re-enter. The BBC has contacted Nasa for further detail.

Nasa and the US Space Force have said they will monitor the re-entry and update any predictions.

The mission, which was originally designed to last two years, went on for almost seven. It ended after the spacecrafts ran out of fuel and were no longer able to orient themselves toward the Sun.

The probes flew through rings of charged particles trapped by Earth’s magnetic field from 2012 to 2019, in order to study how particles were gained and lost, per Nasa.

Those rings, called the Van Allen belts, shield Earth from cosmic radiation, solar storms and streaming solar wind, which are harmful to humans and can damage technology.

The mission made significant discoveries, including the first data that show the existence of a transient third radiation belt, which can form during times of intense solar activity, Nasa said.

Van Allen Probe B is not expected to re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere before 2030.

[BBC]

News

PM Visits the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)

Published

11 hours ago

2026/03/12

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya visited the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) headquarters in Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines, on 11 March 2026, and held bilateral discussions with Yvonne Pinto, Director General of IRRI, focusing on strengthening cooperation in the field of rice research and sustainable agricultural development.

During the meeting, discussions centered on rice cultivation in Sri Lanka, including the key challenges faced by Sri Lankan paddy farmers. The Prime Minister highlighted issues affecting the sector such as productivity constraints, climate-related impacts, and the need to support farmers through improved agricultural practices and technological innovations.

Both sides also discussed the importance of introducing modern techniques and research-driven approaches to rice cultivation in order to enhance productivity and ensure long-term food security. In this regard, IRRI shared insights on ongoing global research initiatives aimed at improving rice varieties, strengthening climate resilience, and promoting sustainable farming practices.

The discussion further focused on the potential for expanded collaboration between Sri Lanka and IRRI, particularly in areas such as research partnerships, knowledge sharing, and capacity building for Sri Lankan agricultural institutions and farmers. The Prime Minister emphasized Sri Lanka’s interest in strengthening cooperation with IRRI to support the development of the country’s rice sector and to improve the livelihoods of paddy farmers.

The visit reaffirmed the importance of science-based agricultural innovation and international collaboration in addressing food security challenges and enhancing sustainable rice production in Sri Lanka.