Consider These Dangers of Sleep Apnea

Without knowing the full impact of the condition, you might think of sleep apnea as a mild annoyance that makes it difficult to fulfill your body’s sleep requirements. While a little tiredness here and there might not seem like a big deal, some of the effects of sleep apnea are more sinister.

Fortunately, professional sleep apnea treatment by Chad Denman, DDS, Vidya Pai, MD, and Michael Lund, DDS, can alleviate symptoms of sleep apnea while preventing dire complications. Sleep Cycle Center in Austin and Lakeway, Texas, offers the assistance you need to start getting a good night’s sleep.

More than snores

While many people associate sleep apnea with snoring, it’s hardly the most pressing symptom. In fact, many people with sleep apnea don’t snore at all.

The main issue with sleep apnea, and the cause of most of its complications, is the pauses in breathing that happen intermittently throughout the night. Obstructive sleep apnea comes from a physical blockage in your airway, which happens when the tissues in your throat collapse when you relax. Central sleep apnea also causes pauses in breathing because of a lack of signals from your brain to control breathing.

With regular and often prolonged breathing pauses happening every night, your body can’t take in all the oxygen it needs to function optimally. Every cell in your body relies on oxygen for energy. The oxygen goes into your lungs when you inhale and travels through your bloodstream all over your body.

The consequences of low oxygen

Low oxygen has many negative implications for your health and wellness. If your body can’t get the oxygen it needs as you sleep, your blood pressure increases which places additional strain on your entire cardiovascular system. That makes you increasingly vulnerable to life-threatening heart and vascular problems, including:

• Heart attack
• Heart failure
• Stroke
• Atrial fibrillation

Sleep apnea can even increase your risk of chronic illnesses like type 2 diabetes and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Additionally, your risk of complications from surgery goes up the longer you avoid treatment for sleep apnea.

Increased risk for accidents

Oxygen deprivation aside, sleep apnea causes a lack of adequate sleep, leading to ongoing daytime fatigue. While some problems associated with fatigue include irritability and concentration problems, a more pressing danger is the increased risk of accidents.

Whether on the road or in the workplace, being accident-prone can put you and those around you in danger. You might overlook small details, which can lead to an accident or even falling asleep at the wheel. Fortunately, sleep apnea treatments lower these risks.

Managing sleep apnea effectively might take several approaches, especially to find the treatment that is best for you. Contact either of our offices for more information on sleep apnea care at Sleep Cycle Center today.