Local veteran actor Chen Tianwen, 61, shared on Capital 958’s Celeb Talk segment this morning (Jan 20) that he has been diagnosed with sleep apnea, a condition where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep, leading to poor rest.
Speaking to DJ Lingzhi, Tianwen revealed that his breathing pauses around 59 times per hour while he sleeps—far above the normal range of five interruptions per hour for adults. He only became aware of his condition after his wife noticed his loud and heavy snoring, a common symptom, and urged him to see a doctor.
Following a polysomnography test, where he spent the night hooked up to monitors and observed via CCTV, he was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea. “But some people have it worse—over 80 interruptions per hour,” he added.
Doctors presented him with two treatment options:
- Surgically removing his Adam’s apple to reduce airway obstruction.
- Using a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine, which delivers steady air pressure through a mask to keep his airways open.
He opted for the CPAP machine after learning that his Adam’s apple would likely regrow in two to three years. Now, with treatment, his condition is well-managed, though he jokingly noted that he wakes up with mask imprints on his face each morning.
Fans can catch Tianwen in the upcoming Chinese New Year movie Baby Hero, premiering on Jan 23, as well as on Mediacorp’s Chinese New Year countdown show on Jan 28.
Photo: Mediacorp Capital 958/ Facebook, 8world
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