Sleep Apnea and the Effects on Your Health

Sleep is not always a benign state. Snoring may not be harmless. In fact, a related condition that affects breathing during sleep may have important consequences. This disorder, sleep apnea, can have significant effects on your overall health. There are certain symptoms and signs associated with obstructive sleep apnea that can affect day-to-day life. Excessive daytime sleepiness, mood complaints like anxiety or depression, or difficulty with thinking may undermine concentration or memory. However, untreated sleep apnea can have other unwanted side effects. Sleep apnea may increase blood pressure, lead to insulin resistance and diabetes, worsen heart failure, provoke heart arrhythmias like atrial fibrillation, and even lead to heart attack, stroke, and sudden death. These risks occur over the long term. Just like one cigarette likely won't kill you, but smoking over many years just might, sleep apnea may increase your health risks over decades of exposure. Review some information about how sleep apnea may contribute to heart health problems, stroke, sudden death, and even have specific consequences in children. Read More About Sleep Apnea and Your Health: Overview of Sleep Apnea Sleep Apnea and the Risks to Heart Health How Are Sleep Apnea and Stroke Related? Why Sleep Apnea May Be Deadly What Are the Consequences of Sleep Apnea in Children? Follow me on Twitter or Facebook or Google+ to receive notice of all the latest updates to this site.Sleep Apnea and the...
Source: About Sleep Disorders - Category: Sleep Medicine Source Type: news