Health Corner

What Is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is one type of sleep disorder, affecting approximately one in every 20 adults.
Patients experience repeated pauses in breathing during sleep, lasting from a few seconds to over a minute.
Breathing resumes automatically after waking momentarily, and these interruptions can occur dozens to hundreds of times each night—often without the person being aware of it.

According to research, among those diagnosed with sleep apnea in Hong Kong:

• 40% are men

• 20% are women

Sleep apnea is generally classified into three main types:

1. Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) – the most common type, accounting for about 90% of all cases.
   It occurs when soft tissues around the throat block the airway, narrowing the upper respiratory passage.
   Most OSA patients are men aged 30 to 60, and the condition often relates to obesity, which causes fat to accumulate around the upper airway and restrict airflow.
   However, slim individuals can also be affected due to congenital factors such as:

   • Short or recessed lower jaw

   • Elongated uvula

   • Narrow airway

   • Enlarged tongue or tonsils

2. Central Sleep Apnea – caused by a dysfunction in the brain’s control of breathing.

3. Mixed Sleep Apnea – a combination of both obstructive and central types.

What Causes Sleep Apnea?

Common contributing factors include:

• Enlarged tonsils or adenoids

• Obesity (excess soft tissue growth)

• Small or recessed jaw

• Large tongue or vocal fold web

• Nasal polyps or deviated nasal septum

Sleep apnea can affect people of any age or gender, even children.

The risk of obstructive sleep apnea increases with:

• Overweight and obesity

• Thick neck circumference

• High blood pressure

• Narrow airway

• Male gender

• Older age

• Family history of OSA

• Use of alcohol, sleeping pills, or sedatives

• Smoking

What Problems Can Obstructive Sleep Apnea Cause? 

Long-term obstruction can result in:

• Headaches

• Fatigue or daytime sleepiness

• Poor concentration

• Insomnia

• Depression

• High blood pressure

• Diabetes

• Stroke

• Other cardiovascular diseases

How to Diagnose Sleep Apnea? 

i) Epworth Sleepiness Scale
This self-assessment measures your tendency to doze off during daily activities to determine your level of daytime sleepiness.
Self-test link: Epworth Sleepiness Scale (Human Health)

ii) Sleep Study (Polysomnography)
A comprehensive test usually conducted in a hospital.
It records and analyzes breathing patterns, oxygen levels, and sleep stages to diagnose sleep apnea and guide appropriate treatment.

iii) Belun Ring – At‑Home Sleep Apnea Screening and Monitoring
The Belun Ring is the world’s first medical‑grade wearable sleep monitoring ring, designed and developed in Hong Kong.

Features:

• Medical‑grade reliability

• Comfortable to wear during sleep

• Simple and user‑friendly design

• Developed and patented in Hong Kong (over 15 global patents)

• Certified under ISO13485 medical quality management system

• FDA‑approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration

• Winner of the Hong Kong ICT Award (5 categories) and the Red Dot Design Award (Germany)

For enquiries or appointments: Call 2117‑0838