Follow-up – Nour Njeim:
Death during sleep is associated with common health problems. But it can happen at any age, and often comes as a huge shock to family and friends, leaving many questions unanswered.
According to the American magazine “Newsweek”, research indicates that excessive or too little sleep is associated with a greater risk of death in general. But there is no clear evidence that the amount of sleep contributes to death.
In this regard, Dr Milind Sovani, Consultant Respiratory Medicine (pulmonologist) at Nottingham University Hospitals in the UK, told Newsweek: “Death in your sleep is usually related to the heart, lungs or brain, and sometimes. Diabetics can die in their sleep due to low glucose levels.”
More commonly, conditions that lead to nocturnal deaths can be managed to reduce the risk:
Sovani said that the lying position on the back that many people follow while sleeping can affect lung volume. He added that breathing at night can also be affected by conditions such as paralysis of the diaphragm (the muscle that controls breathing).
Neurological diseases such as epilepsy can also pose risks, as people with treatment-resistant epilepsy are more susceptible to a syndrome known as Sudden Unexpected Death In Epilepsy (SUDEP), which is believed to be caused by seizures that affect the body’s respiratory, cardiac and electrical functions. .
Likewise, uncontrolled high blood pressure can increase the risk of strokes. Which can be fatal and occur during sleep.
Other conditions that are likely to get worse at night include heart failure and sleep apnea, which causes breathing to start and stop during sleep.
The study also found that people over the age of 60 were at increased risk of sudden cardiac death. But chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity can contribute to poor overall health and an increased likelihood of complications.