Olympic gold medalist diagnosed with sleep apnea

A Chinese Olympic gold medalist in gymnastics has been diagnosed with sleep apnea syndrome at the age of 40, and will need to wear a respirator for the rest of his life during sleep.

Yang Wei, who won gold medals in gymnastics at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and the 2008 Beijing Olympics, shared his diagnosis in a livestreaming on Thursday. He said that he had recently begun to snore heavily, and that on one occasion, he had difficulties to breathe for 6 minutes during sleep.

After seeking medical help, Yang was diagnosed with sleep apnea syndrome, a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts. He was told that he will need to wear a breathing machine for the rest of his life during sleep.

Yang's diagnosis has garnered a lot of attention online in China, with many people expressing their shock and support. It has also raised awareness of sleep apnea syndrome, which is a relatively common condition but often goes undiagnosed.

The most common type of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea, which occurs when the upper airway is blocked during sleep. Symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea include snoring, daytime sleepiness, and morning headaches, said Tian Chao, a respiratory doctor with the Beijing Shijitan Hospital.

There are multiple factors behind the disease, said Tian, including repetitive narrowing and blockage of the upper airways during sleep, leading to breathing pauses and inadequate ventilation of the lungs. This condition can ultimately result in complications such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, diabetes, and cerebrovascular diseases, with the possibility of sudden death during sleep.