May 6, 2025
Have you been choking or gasping while sleeping? Do you remain exhausted during the daytime? Do you experience restless sleep, irritability, or mood changes throughout the day? You may be suffering from sleep apnea. See a sleep apnea specialist immediately. Untreated sleep apnea may invite various complications.
According to an estimate, around 30% of the adults in the USA may have obstructive sleep apnea. This is indeed a red flag. The blog discusses some of the risks of untreated sleep apnea.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a condition in which breathing or sleeping properly at night is difficult. It develops because of blockages in the airways or because the brain does not have any control over breathing as expected.
When the supply of oxygen stops, it activates your survival reflex and causes you to resume breathing, but you are awake. This happens repeatedly throughout the night, disrupting your peaceful sleep.
The Risk Of Untreated Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea statistics that are put forth are indeed worrisome. Some critical factors lead to the development of sleep apnea. First are health conditions like neuromuscular diseases, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and even heart failure, which can impact your brain, causing sleep apnea. Apart from it, some other causes of sleep apnea include:
- Excessive weight.
- Enlarged tonsils.
- Nasal congestion.
- Smoking and alcohol
- Family history.
If you have any such physical complexities and sleep disruption, you must consult a professional for Sleep Apnea Treatment. However, let’s see what the risks of sleep apnea are:
1. High Blood Pressure
When discussing the risks of sleep apnea, this has to be at the top. When you wake up consistently during the night, you become tired throughout the day. It makes your bone hormone grow stressed. Also, oxygen level drops if you find it difficult to breathe. See a doctor. They can offer you BP medication to reverse the ravages of sleep apnea on your body.
2. Heart Disease
It is observed that people with obstructive sleep apnea are highly vulnerable to heart attacks.
Due to a persistent shortage of oxygen during nighttime, the chances of strokes and fast fluttering heartbeats increase. In sleep apnea, the brain finds it difficult to control the flow of blood in the arteries, which increases the risk.
3. Daytime Fatigue
Do you find it difficult to keep awake during the daytime? Yes, if you are affected by sleep apnea, a constant lack of oxygen supply wakes you up persistently. As a result, you will not have a good night’s sleep and will remain tired throughout the day.
4. Stroke: Risk Of Untreated Sleep Apnea
With OSA, you could develop pulmonary hypertension or right-sided heart failure. It develops when your right ventricles weaken and do not pump enough blood to your lungs. The symptoms of right-sided heart failure are swelling in your feet and legs.
5. Type 2 Diabetes
One of the dominant risks of sleep apnea is Type 2 diabetes. If you have it, you are most likely to have sleep apnea.
Other than the one mentioned, obesity, metabolic syndrome, adult asthma, and acid reflux are risk factors for sleep apnea.
Dont let it escalate. See a professional and start treatment immediately to keep the development at arm’s length.