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Sleep is crucial to an individual's quality of life, and interruptions in sleep can have significant impacts on the body. Sleep apnea is a common issue for many people. Physicians highlight that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is most commonly seen in middle-aged men who are obese or have short necks. They recommend tongue exercises to prevent the tongue from falling backward during sleep, which can block the airway and cause sleep disruptions.
Obstructive sleep apnea is characterized by symptoms such as snoring, sudden awakenings, fatigue, daytime sleepiness, and irritability. It is more prevalent among middle-aged to older men who are overweight or have a thick neck. According to research in the U.S., about 20% of adults suffer from sleep apnea, which translates to more than 3 million people in Taiwan. However, due to undiagnosed and untreated cases, only 120,000 individuals in Taiwan have been diagnosed, which is far from the estimated numbers.
"After the age of 40, the strength of the tongue decreases, and it tends to fall backward," explained Dr. Wang Dayuan. "When a person lies down, if the tongue is weak and falls back, it can press on the airway, leading to sleep interruptions." He also provided a simple self-test to check the strength of the tongue: Place the tip of the tongue between the teeth and swallow repeatedly. If you can swallow 10 times in a row, the tongue is still strong. However, if you can only swallow 2 to 3 times, it may indicate that the tongue is aging.
ENT specialist Dr. Huang Zhaoxun added that people with nasal allergies may have a habit of mouth breathing, which weakens the tongue. This can lead to an earlier loss of tongue strength and increase the likelihood of developing sleep apnea.
The first-line treatment for sleep apnea is often the use of a positive pressure ventilator to keep the airway open during sleep. Dr. Wang Dayuan, former dean of the School of Dentistry at Taipei Medical University, noted that in the past, ENT specialists would recommend surgery to remove the soft palate, but this often grew back after a year or so. Laser procedures have also been used to burn off the tissue, but they can relapse. Although daytime symptoms may not be significant since people are conscious and can control them, the inability to move during sleep can obstruct breathing, reduce blood oxygen levels, and negatively impact sleep quality.
Dr. Wen Shizheng, a dental clinic director, recommended that if a person is undergoing orthodontic treatment, they should consider using an oral sleep appliance after the treatment is completed. The retainers used after orthodontics can be replaced with an oral sleep appliance.
Dr. Wang Dayuan explained that in the past, patients had to wear bulky and noisy CPAP machines during sleep, which severely affected their sleep quality. However, new dental treatments that involve adjusting the position of the lower jaw and tongue have provided a way to gradually improve sleep apnea by wearing an oral sleep appliance.
文章來源：年過40「舌頭無力」恐睡眠呼吸中止