According to the American Heart Association, 20 percent of American adults have sleep apnea, and many are undiagnosed and untreated. This is because most people living with sleep apnea are entirely unaware of the interruptions in their breathing because they don’t fully wake up when it happens. Just because someone is of normal weight and are unaware of any symptoms doesn’t mean they’re in the clear. Anyone could be suffering from sleep apnea or sleep-disordered breathing.
However, just because you don’t know it’s happening doesn’t mean it isn’t serious. Untreated sleep apnea is very serious, no matter how mild your case is. This is because when you stop breathing, your blood oxygen levels dip, and the body goes into distress. When this happens, your organs and tissues malfunction, and other serious health conditions occur, including:
1. High blood pressure. Sleep apnea can cause high blood pressure because when your body goes into distress, stress hormones are produced. If you are living with high blood pressure already, the sleep breathing disorder can make your condition worse.
2. Heart attack. Sleep apnea is a risk factor for heart attacks. People with untreated sleep apnea are at a greater risk of suffering a heart attack — up to 30 percent more — than people without the sleep disorder.
So why does sleep apnea contribute to an increased risk of heart attack? One theory is that low blood oxygen levels can contribute to the heart having to work harder. Another theory is that since obstructive sleep apnea makes taking in oxygen difficult, the brain has issues controlling blood flow, leading to a heart attack or other cardiovascular problems such as stroke or atrial fibrillation, a condition that causes a fast or fluttering heartbeat.
Researchers from the National Commission on Sleep Disorders Research estimate that obstructive sleep apnea contributes to about 38,000 cardiovascular deaths each year.
3. Type 2 diabetes. People living with the sleep breathing disorder obstructive sleep apnea have a higher risk of diabetes. Some researchers estimate that 80 percent of individuals living with type 2 diabetes have OSA.
One reason is that when you have sleep apnea, your body never reaches the level of sleep in which hormones are controlled, so the body cannot effectively process insulin to control blood sugar, which increases insulin resistance. Another contributing factor to type 2 diabetes is obesity, which can also contribute to a higher risk of developing sleep apnea.
4. Obesity/Being Overweight. Being obese or overweight is a risk factor for developing sleep apnea. It can increase your chances of health problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and heart attack, but it can also increase your risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea. When you are overweight, you often have extra fat and excess tissue on the neck, which can block breathing when you sleep. Additionally, having sleep apnea can cause a production of excess ghrelin, the hormone that makes you want sugary foods and carbs.
5. Car Accidents. When you don’t get restful sleep each night because of your sleep apnea, you often suffer from daytime fatigue. This means you have a greater chance of falling asleep behind the wheel. People with OSA have a five times greater risk of having a traffic accident than those without the condition.
Other effects of sleep apnea include depression, anxiety, acid reflux, loss of libido/impotence, short-term memory loss, respiratory system issues such as asthma, and cognitive impairment.
