The sleep disorder you might not know you have - Alayna Vaughan

翻译人员: Elena W 校对人员: Bruce Sung

A leather mask that clamps the mouth shut.

夹住嘴巴的皮革面具。

A cannonball sewn into a soldier’s uniform.

缝在士兵制服上的炮弹。

And a machine that delivers sudden electrical pulses.

还有一台能突然发出电脉冲的机器。

These old items were all intended treatments

这些旧物品都是为了治疗

for a problem that has haunted humanity for millennia:

困扰人类几千年的问题：

snoring.

打鼾。

It might seem harmless, but snoring can be a sign of something more dangerous.

打鼾看似无害， 但它可能是个危险的征兆。

So, what exactly causes snoring? And when does it become a problem?

那么，打鼾是什么原因导致的？ 什么时候算是有问题？

A snore’s quality can range from a gentle mew to a stuttering chainsaw—

鼾声的质量可以从轻柔的猫叫声 到断断续续的电锯声——

but all snores originate from the respiratory tract,

但所有的鼾声都起源于呼吸道，

which is lined with soft tissues.

这里有软组织内衬。

During sleep, the muscles around these tissues relax,

睡觉时，这些组织周围的肌肉会放松，

narrowing the airway.

使气道变窄。

Many factors, including congestion, anatomical features,

许多因素，包括充血、 结构本身的特征、

and the position you’re sleeping in,

以及你的睡姿

can further constrict this passage and lead to or exacerbate snoring.

都可以进一步收缩气道， 导致或加剧鼾症。

The narrower the respiratory tract is, the stronger the airflow,

呼吸道越窄，气流越强，

and the more those relaxed tissues may vibrate,

那些松弛的组织 就可能振动得更厉害，

producing sound.

从而产生声音。

Most of us will snore at some point in our lives.

我们大多数人在生命中 的某个阶段都会打呼噜。

But loud, chronic snoring is one sign of a sleep disorder

但是大声、长期的鼾声是一种 睡眠障碍的症状之一，

known as obstructive sleep apnea.

被称为阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停。

It affects about a quarter of all adults,

它影响着大约四分之一的成年人，

but it’s estimated that around 80% of people who suffer from it

但据估计，这些人中的80%

aren’t aware they have it.

都不知道自己患有此病。

This is especially troublesome because it can lead to serious cardiovascular issues.

这尤其麻烦，因为它可能会 导致严重的心血管问题。

Obstructive sleep apnea is usually caused by blockages in the airway

阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停 通常由气道阻塞引起，

and is mainly characterized by pauses in breathing during sleep.

主要特征是睡眠期间呼吸的暂停。

There's one other kind of sleep apnea called central sleep apnea,

另一种睡眠呼吸暂停叫做 中枢性睡眠呼吸暂停，

which occurs when the brain temporarily fails to regulate the body's breathing.

在大脑暂时无法调节 身体的呼吸时发生。

This condition isn't as common,

这个病没有那么常见，

and snoring is usually a less prominent feature—

并且打鼾不是一个 特别突出的特征——

though you can have both.

虽然两种睡眠呼吸暂停 有同时出现的可能性。

If you’re experiencing obstructive sleep apnea,

如果你正在经历 阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停，

you might stop breathing for 10 or more seconds before waking,

你可能会有10秒或 更长的时间停止呼吸，

sometimes without realizing it, to catch your breath.

有时是不知不觉地， 然后醒来喘口气。

In doing so, you might make a snorting or a choking sound.

过程中，你可能会发出 鼾声或哽咽声。

This may happen five times an hour,

每小时可能发生五次，

though in severe cases, it could occur more than 30.

但在严重的情况下， 能发生30多次。

And it's a problem because your tissues are getting less oxygen.

这是个问题，因为你的组织 获得的氧气会越来越少。

As you experience periods of low oxygen intake,

当你经历低氧摄入时，

your body releases stress hormones.

你的身体会释放应激激素。

And your blood vessels constrict to get oxygenated blood to your vital organs.

你的血管会收缩，将含氧血液 输送到你的重要器官。

This increases your blood pressure and puts additional stress on your heart.

这会增加你的血压， 并给心脏带来额外的压力。

And this is why obstructive sleep apnea can be linked to hypertension

这就是为什么阻塞性睡眠 呼吸暂停会导致高血压

and other cardiovascular problems.

和其他心血管疾病。

Your difficulty breathing and poor-quality rest may also lead to headaches,

呼吸困难和不足的休息质量 也可能导致头痛、

decreased concentration, and chronic fatigue.

注意力下降和慢性疲劳。

So what puts someone at risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea?

那么什么人有患阻塞性 睡眠呼吸暂停的风险呢？

Features like larger tongues, thicker necks, and smaller jaws

舌头更大、脖子更粗、 以及下颚更小等特征

can make people more susceptible.

会让人更容易受到影响。

Older people are more at risk because, as we age,

老年人的风险更大， 因为随着年龄的增长，

our soft tissues loosen, further narrowing our airways.

我们的软组织会松动， 进一步缩小我们的气道。

Drinking alcohol before going to sleep can cause excessive relaxation

睡前饮酒会使 喉咙和下颚的肌肉

of our throat and jaw muscles.

过度放松。

And one of the main contributors to obstructive sleep apnea is weight gain

阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停的 主要原因之一是增重，

because more tissue around the neck can constrict the airway.

因为颈部周围会有 更多的组织收缩气道。

Many researchers see weight loss as a solution to obstructive sleep apnea.

许多研究人员将减肥视为 阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停的治疗方法。

Certain behavioral shifts, like limiting your alcohol consumption before bed,

行为上的改变，比如睡前限制饮酒，

elevating your head, and avoiding sleeping on your back may also help.

睡觉时抬起头，避免 平躺着睡觉也会有所帮助。

For people who have a milder condition,

对于病情较轻的人，

mouth and throat exercises have been shown to alleviate obstructive sleep apnea

一些初步的试验已证明 口腔和咽喉的锻炼可以

in some preliminary trials.

缓解阻碍性睡眠呼吸暂停。

But these approaches, and devices like oral appliances,

但这些方法以及 口腔用具等设备

may not always be sufficient.

不一定足够。

Sleep apnea can be reliably treated using CPAP machines,

使用CPAP机器可以有效地 治疗睡眠呼吸暂停，

which keep the airway open by delivering a constant stream of pressurized air.

通过提供稳定的 压缩空气流保持气道开放。

Doctors will usually aim to remedy sleep apnea with non-invasive treatments

医生通常会先用非侵入性的方法 来治疗睡眠呼吸暂停，

like these first, but if they don’t work, they may consider surgery.

但如果不起作用， 他们可能会考虑手术。

Snores can be silly.

打鼾可能很傻。

But intense ones are well-worth investigating with a doctor.

但严重的情况 值得被医生查看。

After all, everyone needs a chance to catch their breath—

毕竟，每个人都需要喘气的机会——

and some z’s...

并小睡一会儿......