So you snore loudly when you sleep. Big deal, right? Sometimes you wake up tired even after a full night’s sleep. How serious could that be? Well, if you suffer from sleep apnea, it could be more serious than you think. Sleep apnea occurs when someone’s breathing stops and starts repeatedly throughout their sleep. Additionally, sleep apnea hardly ever remains only a little while. Typically it’s lifelong. So, to answer the question, “how serious is sleep apnea?” we’ll dive into this condition and its symptoms.
Types of Sleep Apnea
First, let’s define sleep apnea and the different types.
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea – occurs when your airways get blocked. This usually happens when soft tissue in the back of your throat collapses and closes during sleep.
- Central Sleep Apnea – Your airways don’t get blocked, but your brain doesn’t signal your muscles to breathe.
- Mixed Sleep Apnea – a combination of the above.
But what makes someone an at-risk candidate for sleep apnea?
Risk Factors
Second, do you have any of these risk factors for sleep apnea? These can include:
- Old age
- Overweight or obese
- Smoking
- Chronic nasal congestion
- Male
- Hypertension
- Asthma
- Family history of sleep apnea
Consequently, if you have any of these traits, you can be at-risk for sleep apnea. Therefore, if you know you have these risk factors, and find yourself waking up tired often or snoring loudly, you might suffer from sleep apnea.
How Serious is Sleep Apnea if Untreated?
Third, how serious is sleep apnea? After all, if it’s just snoring loudly and feeling tired, is that actually dangerous? Well, if you’ve read the information above, you can tell sleep apnea doesn’t sound good. Yet what can happen if it isn’t treated? Unfortunately, sleep apnea can increase your risks for…
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Diabetes
- Depression
- Falling asleep at the wheel
- Glaucoma
- High blood pressure
Why does sleep apnea increase these risks? Since your body and brain don’t get the constant supply of oxygen they need when you sleep, your chances of suffering from any of the above increases. Hence, you can see sleep apnea is serious!
What You Can Do About Serious Sleep Apnea
Finally, what can you do if you think you suffer from sleep apnea? Contact us at entfpss.com! Our team of expert medical staff would love to talk you through next-steps and treatment. Who knows? Reaching out just might save your life!
