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A leather mask that clamps the mouth shut. A cannonball sewn into a soldier's uniform. And a machine that delivers sudden electrical pulses.
夹住嘴巴的皮革面具。缝在士兵制服上的炮弹。还有一台能突然发出电脉冲的机器。
These old items were all intended treatments for a problem that has haunted humanity for millennia: snoring.
这些旧物品都是为了治疗困扰人类几千年的问题：打鼾。
It might seem harmless, but snoring can be a sign of something more dangerous.
打鼾看似无害，但它可能是个危险的征兆。
So, what exactly causes snoring? And when does it become a problem?
那么，打鼾是什么原因导致的？什么时候算是有问题？
A snore's quality can range from a gentle mew to a stuttering chainsaw
鼾声的质量可以从轻柔的猫叫声到断断续续的电锯声，
but all snores originate from the respiratory tract, which is lined with soft tissues.
但所有的鼾声都起源于呼吸道，这里有软组织内衬。
During sleep, the muscles around these tissues relax, narrowing the airway.
睡觉时，这些组织周围的肌肉会放松，使气道变窄。
Many factors, including congestion, anatomical features, and the position you're sleeping in,
许多因素，包括充血、结构本身的特征、以及你的睡姿
can further constrict this passage and lead to or exacerbate snoring.
都可以进一步收缩气道，导致或加剧鼾症。
The narrower the respiratory tract is, the stronger the airflow, and the more those relaxed tissues may vibrate, producing sound.
呼吸道越窄，气流越强，那些松弛的组织就可能振动得更厉害，从而产生声音。
Most of us will snore at some point in our lives. But loud, chronic snoring is one sign of a sleep disorder known as obstructive sleep apnea.
我们大多数人在生命中的某个阶段都会打呼噜。但是大声、长期的鼾声是一种睡眠障碍的症状之一，被称为阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停。
It affects about a quarter of all adults, but it's estimated that around 80% of people who suffer from it aren't aware they have it.
它影响着大约四分之一的成年人，但据估计，这些人中的80%都不知道自己患有此病。
This is especially troublesome because it can lead to serious cardiovascular issues.
这尤其麻烦，因为它可能会导致严重的心血管问题。
Obstructive sleep apnea is usually caused by blockages in the airway and is mainly characterized by pauses in breathing during sleep.
阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停通常由气道阻塞引起，主要特征是睡眠期间呼吸的暂停。
There's one other kind of sleep apnea called central sleep apnea, which occurs when the brain temporarily fails to regulate the body's breathing.
另一种睡眠呼吸暂停叫做中枢性睡眠呼吸暂停，在大脑暂时无法调节身体的呼吸时发生。
This condition isn't as common, and snoring is usually a less prominent feature -- though you can have both.
这个病没有那么常见，并且打鼾不是一个特别突出的特征--虽然两种睡眠呼吸暂停有同时出现的可能性。
If you're experiencing obstructive sleep apnea,
如果你正在经历阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停，
you might stop breathing for 10 or more seconds before waking, sometimes without realizing it, to catch your breath.
你可能会有10秒或更长的时间停止呼吸，有时是不知不觉地，然后醒来喘口气。
In doing so, you might make a snorting or a choking sound.
过程中，你可能会发出鼾声或哽咽声。
This may happen five times an hour, though in severe cases, it could occur more than 30.
每小时可能发生五次，但在严重的情况下，能发生30多次。
And it's a problem because your tissues are getting less oxygen.
这是个问题，因为你的组织获得的氧气会越来越少。
As you experience periods of low oxygen intake, your body releases stress hormones.
当你经历低氧摄入时，你的身体会释放应激激素。
And your blood vessels constrict to get oxygenated blood to your vital organs.
你的血管会收缩，将含氧血液输送到你的重要器官。
This increases your blood pressure and puts additional stress on your heart.
这会增加你的血压，并给心脏带来额外的压力。
And this is why obstructive sleep apnea can be linked to hypertension and other cardiovascular problems.
这就是为什么阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停会导致高血压和其他心血管疾病。
Your difficulty breathing and poor-quality rest may also lead to headaches, decreased concentration, and chronic fatigue.
呼吸困难和不足的休息质量也可能导致头痛、注意力下降和慢性疲劳。
So what puts someone at risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea?
那么什么人有患阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停的风险呢？
Features like larger tongues, thicker necks, and smaller jaws can make people more susceptible.
舌头更大、脖子更粗、以及下颚更小等特征会让人更容易受到影响。
Older people are more at risk because, as we age, our soft tissues loosen, further narrowing our airways.
老年人的风险更大，因为随着年龄的增长，我们的软组织会松动，进一步缩小我们的气道。
Drinking alcohol before going to sleep can cause excessive relaxation of our throat and jaw muscles.
睡前饮酒会使喉咙和下颚的肌肉过度放松。
And one of the main contributors to obstructive sleep apnea is weight gain because more tissue around the neck can constrict the airway.
阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停的主要原因之一是增重，因为颈部周围会有更多的组织收缩气道。
Many researchers see weight loss as a solution to obstructive sleep apnea.
许多研究人员将减肥视为阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停的治疗方法。
Certain behavioral shifts, like limiting your alcohol consumption before bed, elevating your head, and avoiding sleeping on your back may also help.
行为上的改变，比如睡前限制饮酒，睡觉时抬起头，避免平躺着睡觉也会有所帮助。
For people who have a milder condition, mouth and throat exercises have been shown to alleviate obstructive sleep apnea in some preliminary trials.
对于病情较轻的人，一些初步的试验已证明口腔和咽喉的锻炼可以缓解阻碍性睡眠呼吸暂停。
But these approaches, and devices like oral appliances, may not always be sufficient.
但这些方法以及口腔用具等设备不一定足够。
Sleep apnea can be reliably treated using CPAP machines, which keep the airway open by delivering a constant stream of pressurized air.
使用CPAP机器可以有效地治疗睡眠呼吸暂停，通过提供稳定的压缩空气流保持气道开放。
Doctors will usually aim to remedy sleep apnea with non-invasive treatments like these first, but if they don't work, they may consider surgery.
医生通常会先用非侵入性的方法来治疗睡眠呼吸暂停，但如果不起作用，他们可能会考虑手术。
Snores can be silly. But intense ones are well-worth investigating with a doctor.
打鼾可能很傻。但严重的情况应该去找医生查看下。
After all, everyone needs a chance to catch their breath -- and some z's...
毕竟，每个人都需要喘气的机会--并小睡一会儿...
