Sleep apnea is more than just physiology. Sun Yat-sen University research reveals the key and is published in an international journal

Chen Yanjin, associate professor of the Department of Nursing at National Sun Yat-sen University, has studied that somnocentia may be highly related to psychological fear and anxiety. The research results were published in international journals.

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the first-line treatment for moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea, but nearly 40% of patients give up using it in the early stages of treatment. The "suffocation feeling" is the main obstacle. Research by Chen Yanjin, associate professor of the Department of Nursing at National Sun Yat-sen University, found that the feeling of suffocation is not necessarily caused by physiological problems, but may also be highly related to psychological fear and anxiety. The research results were published in the international journal "Nursing Research and Practice".

Chen Yanjin said that about 936 million people around the world suffer from sleep apnea. Continuous positive pressure respirator CPAP can keep the upper respiratory tract open and reduce apnea and hypoxia during sleep. Although the effect is good, whether patients can continue to use it for a long time is always a challenge facing sleep medicine.

The research team tracked 121 patients with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea who were using CPAP for the first time from August 2021 to February 2025, conducted a prospective mixed methods study, and conducted at least 3 telephone interviews during the two-week trial period. , to understand the patients’ usage and physical and mental feelings. The results showed that 73 people (60.3%) met the recommended usage standards, using it for at least 4 hours every night and meeting this standard on at least 70% of the nights a week, while 48 people (39.7%) did not meet the standards.

Research has found that when a nasal mask or mask covers the mouth and nose, and airflow is continuously input, but the patient is not accustomed to the feeling of positive pressure assistance during breathing, or the nose is blocked and blocked, once breathing is not smooth, it will cause uncomfortable feelings such as anxiety and suffocation, and further affect the actual use behavior. It may be difficult to fall asleep and wake up repeatedly because of worries about breathing difficulty, ignoring important psychological factors that affect the patient's continued use.

The research results have been applied to clinical care. The team has added care and assessment of the psychological state in the early stage of treatment to the case manager's care manual, and provided corresponding relief methods to help patients gradually adapt to CPAP treatment. This will help patients overcome the initial adaptation threshold of treatment and truly integrate effective treatment into daily life.