The Top 5 Causes of Death While Sleeping

Dying while you sleep may sound like a nice way to go, but if you have a long life ahead of you, it’s crucial to know what causes abrupt deaths while you sleep and how to avoid them.

Whether you’re just interested or worried about the potential dangers, there are things you can do during the day to lessen your exposure. Put your worries aside and concentrate on getting a decent night’s sleep when the time comes.

Listed here are five of the leading causes of death while sleeping, along with suggestions for how to lessen your risk and some medical guidance to assist you do so. The general health and safety of people’s sleep can be enhanced if we raise awareness and do what’s needed.

1.Sudden death of the heart

When the heart stops beating all of a sudden, this is called cardiac arrest. Some study shows that if you don’t get medical help right away, you could die within minutes.

When it happens while you’re sleeping, the risk is even higher because it takes too long for help to get there.

Preventive steps:

Regular Check-ups: Make an appointment with your doctor for regular check-ups to keep an eye on your heart health and catch any problems early.

Manage Your Blood Pressure: A healthy diet, regular exercise, and, if recommended, medicine can help you keep your blood pressure in check.

Healthy Lifestyle: To lower your chance of heart disease, eat a balanced diet and work out regularly.

Don’t smoke. Smoking raises your chance of heart disease and other heart diseases. Quitting smoking can greatly improve your heart health.

Know Your Family History: If you know of any heart problems that run in your family, talk to your doctor about them so that you can take care of them before they get worse.

Professional advice: If you are having chest pain, shortness of breath, or heartbeat, you should see a doctor right away.

People who already know they have a heart problem should do what their doctor tells them to do and maybe use a heart monitor if they are told to.

2.Sleep apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea is a serious disease that not only comes with risks but also makes it more likely that you will die from a heart-related event.

If you have obstructive sleep apnea, you may stop breathing more than five times an hour while you sleep.

If you have this disease, you are over 2.5 times more likely to die of a sudden heart attack between midnight and 6 a.m. than people who don’t have it.

Not taking care of sleep apnea can cause heart failure, stroke, coronary heart disease, and heartbeats that aren’t normal.

A study by G. Jean-Louis on Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Cardiovascular Disease says that heart disease is linked to sleep apnea in more than 38,000 people in the United States every year.

Preventive steps:

Get a diagnosis:  If you snore loudly or feel sleepy during the day, you should see a sleep expert to get a diagnosis.

Use a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine. People who have been diagnosed with sleep apnea can save air while they sleep by using a CPAP machine.

Keep your weight at a healthy level. Being overweight can make sleep apnea worse; losing weight through food and exercise can help ease the symptoms.

Stay away from booze and sedatives. They can make sleep apnea worse by relaxing the muscles in your throat.

If your doctor tells you to, sleep on your side instead of your back. Sleeping on your back can make sleep apnea worse.

If you think you might have sleep apnea, you should see a doctor. As part of treatment, people must make changes to their lifestyle and use a CPAP machine to make sure they breathe properly while they sleep.

3.A stroke

The heart’s job is to carry blood around the body. If it doesn’t work right, it can impact other parts of the body.

Sometime, a heartbeat that isn’t normal can lead to a blood clot that goes to the brain and causes a stroke. This risk can be even higher if you have high blood pressure.

If a stroke happens in the brainstem, it can make it hard to breathe, move your eyes, control your muscles, and be aware. Strokes like these can be very bad, and they can even happen while you’re asleep.

Preventive steps:

Control blood pressure: If your doctor tells you to, make changes to your lifestyle and take your medicine as directed to keep your blood pressure in check.

Take care of your diabetes: If you have diabetes, keep an eye on your blood sugar levels and follow your treatment plan.

Stick to a healthy diet that is high in fruits, veggies, and whole grains and low in salt and saturated fats.

Regular exercise: Doing regular exercise can lower your chance of stroke and make your heart health better in general.

Avoid drinking too much: Drinking too much alcohol can raise your chance of having a stroke.

Advice from doctors: If you regularly feel numb, confused, or have trouble speaking, you should see a doctor right away because these could be signs of a stroke. Managing risk factors and avoiding strokes can be helped by getting regular check-ups.

4.Too much drug

No matter if the drugs are legal or not, they can both cause an unexpected overdose, especially if mixed with alcohol or other drugs.

If this happens to you while you sleep, it could make it hard to breathe and even kill you if you don’t get help right away.

Preventive steps:

Do what the medication says: Do not try to treat yourself; instead, follow the directions on your prescription drugs carefully.

Do not mix substances: Do not mix prescription drugs with booze or other drugs without first talking to your doctor.

Keeping medicines out of the reach of others, especially children, is important for keeping them safe.

Watch the doses: Use a pill holder to make sure you’re taking the right amount of pills and to avoid taking too many by accident.

Get help for drug abuse: If you are having trouble with drug abuse, get professional help and support for your healing.

Advice from doctors: If you are worried about your medicine or have strange side effects after taking it, you should see your doctor right away. If an overdose is found, get emergency medical help right away.

5. SIDS, or sudden infant death syndrome

SIDS, which is also known as “crib death,” is when a baby dies quickly and without warning, usually while they are sleeping. We don’t know for sure why it happens, but study shows that it has something to do with how the baby sleeps and what’s in their crib

Preventive steps:

Sleep position: Putting babies to sleep on their backs lowers their risk of SIDS.

Safe place to sleep: Make sure there are no loose blankets, pillows, or toys in the baby’s sleep area.

Use a firm mattress. Keep babies safe by putting them in a crib with a firm mattress.

Don’t smoke: Don’t smoke near the baby, and make sure the area is smoke-free.

If you can, breastfeed. There is a lower chance of SIDS when you breastfeed.

Medical advice: Make sure the baby’s sleep setting is as safe as possible and follow the rules for safe sleep. Going to the pediatrician for regular checkups can help you keep an eye on your baby’s health and growth.

A Message From MANNY SPARK

Figuring out why people die while they’re sleeping is important for taking steps to stop it and making sure that the place where they sleep is safer.

People can greatly lower their chances of having a rapid cardiac arrest, sleep apnea, stroke, drug overdose, or SIDS by being aware of the risks and taking the recommended safety steps.

5 Reasons Why People Die While They Sleep

What does sleep apnea mean?

That’s sleep apnea. If you don’t treat it, your breathing can stop and start while you sleep, which can be dangerous

Can problems with the heart kill you while you sleep?

Yes, rapid heart problems like arrhythmias or heart attacks can happen while you sleep.

What changes about sleep safety after a stroke?

A stroke can happen while you sleep, and if you don’t get help right away, it can have very bad effects.

How do you explain sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)?

SIDS is the sudden death of a baby while they are sleeping. The person or place where they were sleeping is often linked to this.

Can drug accidents kill you while you sleep?

Yes, drug or alcohol accidents can make it hard to breathe and even kill you while you sleep.

What changes when you have high blood pressure?

People with high blood pressure may be more likely to have a heart attack or stroke while they sleep.

Does having trouble breathing during sleep cause death?

Serious breathing problems can make it impossible to breathe while you sleep, which can be deadly.