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One of the things that cannot be ascertained and predictable in life is death. The reason is, everyone can die at any time, even when you sleep. Many consider that dying in sleep is something to be grateful for because the person is believed to have died peacefully. However, for those who are left behind, sudden death can cause prolonged shock and sadness.
In some cases where a person dies in sleep, the cause is an illness unknown to family, friends, or the person himself. Death occurs suddenly, usually without symptoms or signs of previous illness. They still looked healthy and excited before going to bed. That is why family and friends who are left behind usually find it difficult to believe that the person has a life-threatening illness. In fact, sometimes the symptoms of diseases that cause sudden death in sleep actually appear, but they are often underestimated. Here are some of the most common life-threatening illnesses while you sleep.
Sleep apnea
Sleep apnea disorders (sleep apnea) occurs when a person stops breathing several times in their sleep. Usually people who suffer sleep apnea will stop breathing for about ten seconds. This can recur up to five times an hour while a person is asleep. If the disturbance continues to get worse, the body may fail to take another breath after being held in, causing the respiratory system to stop. This can lead to death.
Some of the risk factors for sleep apnea disorders are obesity, heart failure, and various heart diseases. This disorder can be detected, one of which is by observing the symptoms such as feeling tired in the morning and drowsiness throughout the day even though you have slept for a long time. In addition, usually a partner or relative who sleeps in the same room will hear the sound of your snoring while sleeping.
Sudden cardiac arrest
Sudden cardiac arrest is also known as cardiac arrest. This condition occurs when your heart suddenly stops beating. This is triggered by abnormalities and dysfunction in the electrical signals that regulate the heart rate. When this happens, the heart stops pumping blood to all parts of the body. If not treated immediately, cardiac arrest will cause death.
Cardiac arrest is triggered by several things, including diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, and genetic factors. There are several symptoms that you should be aware of. For example, if you have passed out several times, there is a family history of death from heart disease, and chest pain.
Heart attack
Unlike cardiac arrest, a heart attack is not caused by a fault in the electrical circuits in the body. A heart attack while you sleep occurs because the flow of blood to the heart muscles is blocked so that the heart does not get oxygen from the blood. In some cases, the heart still beats but the muscles that are not getting oxygen will be damaged.
Usually a heart attack is caused by coronary heart disease. Signs that you can look for are pain and pressure in the chest or arms, fever, vomiting, and irregular heartbeat (too fast or too slow).
Blood clotting
Usually blood clots are not harmful to health because they will break down on their own or with the help of medication. However, if the clot becomes too large, the clot will block the flow of blood. If the blocked flow is the main vessel pumping blood to the brain or heart, blood clots can result in a person dying in sleep.
Severe cases of blood clots usually occur due to trauma such as serious injuries, skin scratches, or thickened blood. Symptoms that appear usually include swelling, pale skin, pain, and rapid breathing.
Carbon monoxide poisoning
The cause of sudden death in sleep caused by an external factor is carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide is a colorless or odorless gas that is produced by household items such as a stove, grill, water heater, or a running car. If this gas collects and is trapped in a closed room, people who breathe air that has been contaminated with carbon monoxide can be killed. Some cases of carbon monoxide poisoning occur because home owners fall asleep and forget to turn off the stove or car engine that is being heated in the garage of the house.
