What Can Happen If Sleep Apnea Goes Untreated?

Each of us needs adequate sleep every night to maintain our health and well-being. Unfortunately, sleep apnea is a prevalent condition that negatively affects people of all ages. Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that occurs when a person’s breathing is interrupted during sleep. These interruptions can happen dozens of times each night and last for seconds or minutes at a time. Many people who suffer from this condition are not aware of what can happen if sleep apnea goes untreated. Read on to learn why it’s so important to address your sleep apnea now.

Most Serious Health Problems That Can Result from Untreated Sleep Apnea

Some people shrug off the middle-of-the-day yawns and headaches they experience after a night of restless sleep. However, these symptoms and others may be a precursor to much worse health issues that build up if sleep apnea goes untreated. Here are a few of the most serious ones:

Asphyxiation and Suffocation

Sleep apnea robs us of precious oxygen, which our bodies require to live. Studies have shown brain damage resulting from the lack of oxygen. And there have been instances of people with sleep apnea dying in their sleep from suffocation after consuming alcohol or a sedative.

High Blood Pressure and Stroke

When you are unable to sleep restfully because of sleep apnea, there is a strain put on the body that increases high blood pressure, especially if you have any existing hereditary risk factors. This increased pressure could build up to a breaking point, resulting in an aneurysm or stroke.

Arrythmia and Cardiac Arrest

Your heart rate changes a lot over the course of a day. It escalates during exercise or other physical activities, and typically drops down during low intensity activities like reading or resting. The disruptions from untreated sleep apnea can cause irregular heartbeats, which place an undue strain on the heart. If it continues to worsen, this can lead to heart failure.

Diabetes and Kidney Failure

Sleep apnea has also been linked to patients who develop diabetes. Many of the same causes apply to both conditions, including unhealthy diets, lack of exercise, smoking and family risk factors, among others. Patients who have untreated sleep apnea and then develop diabetes have a higher risk for kidney failure or coma.

Depression and Suicide

People report a better outlook on life and attitude when they enjoy regular, restful sleep. Therefore, it’s no surprise that if you suffer from sleep apnea, you are at a higher risk for experiencing depression because of serotonin levels. It’s critical to get the help you need as soon as possible before things worsen.

Other Dangers If Sleep Apnea Goes Untreated

Getting a good night’s sleep helps you stay alert during the day, so that you can safely and consistently get everything done you need to. However, if sleep apnea goes untreated, this can lead to other dangers that extend beyond just your own health.

For example, people who suffer from sleep apnea usually feel more fatigue during the day and are more likely to be involved in car accidents. This is because sleep apnea can cause daytime sleepiness, making it difficult to concentrate on the road.

Sleep apnea can also cause problems at work. People who have sleep apnea are more likely to be absent from work or to have job performance issues. That’s because it’s hard to focus during the day when you already feel exhausted. Those performance issues might lead to a loss of employment, generating even more stress and uncertainty, and making things spiral out of control.

Finally, sleep apnea often puts a strain on relationships. This is due to the fact that sleep apnea frequently causes loud snoring, which can be disruptive to a partner’s sleep. If your partner can’t sleep, they’ll be unable to adequately accomplish everything they need to get done. Sleep is necessary for everyone in a relationship to flourish; so without adequate rest, both partners will struggle.

Don’t Wait to Treat Your Sleep Apnea

As you can see, untreated sleep apnea has serious consequences for both your health and well-being, and that of your loved ones. If you think you might have sleep apnea, it's important to seek treatment with a doctor right away. Otherwise, you are putting yourself and others at risk. To schedule your initial sleep apnea consultation, contact Kanehl Dental today.