Sleep apnea is a seriously dangerous sleep disorder. It’s causing more than 18 million people to be at risk for further health problems as a result. But how serious is sleep apnea? Besides the mind-boggling figure mentioned earlier, what else about this chronic disorder makes is so dangerous?
Those are the questions we are going to answer in this article. We are going to talk about the seriousness of sleep apnea, and how so many go undiagnosed. On top of that, we’re also going to discuss the medical conditions that escalate because of sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea is ignored because so many aren’t aware of how serious it is. After this article you will have a command and awareness of sleep apnea, knowing exactly what you must do to get help.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a disorder that causes you to stop breathing during your sleep. There are 3 types of sleep apnea. Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Central Sleep Apnea, and Complex Sleep Apnea Syndrome.
When you compare them to each other the symptoms they cause can overlap. However, there specific differences to be aware of. Obstructive Sleep Apnea is caused by a relaxation of throat muscles that block your upper airway as you sleep. This is the most common.
Up next is Central Sleep Apnea is the lack of communication between the brain and the central nervous system. Because of this disconnection your brain does not receive the signal it needs to stimulate breathing. This is severe.
Lastly, Complex Sleep Apnea Syndrome is a mix of both OSA and CSA. This is the most severe because there are two impairments preventing quality sleep to focus on.
What Are Some Common Symptoms of Sleep Apnea?
When sleep is impaired your health and wellness suffer. After all, how can you be happy or do anything safely when you are deprived of quality rest? Here are some symptoms you want to pay attention to.
Difficulty staying focused or paying attention throughout the day.
- Difficulty keeping your attention on tasks throughout the day.
- Waking up gasping for air from a nap or in the middle of the night.
- Difficult time insomnia or sleeping through the night.
- Early morning headaches.
- Interrupting partners or spouses from their rest because of noisy snoring.
- You wake and have excessive dry mouth.
- You suffer from hypersomnia (severe tiredness during the day).
The Seriousness of Sleep Apnea
The list above shows 7 reasons sleep apnea can’t be taken lightly. But these symptoms lead to very troublesome medical conditions and lifetime problems if left unchecked. What is even more disturbing is that childhood sleep apnea is on the rise. By you becoming aware of the signs, symptoms, and health concerns sleep apnea causes you may help your son or daughter or someone else’s.
Sleep apnea ranges between mild, moderate, and severe. Often many start out mild, and with proper attention can keep it that way. Keep that in mind when reviewing this list. Because complete neglect is a large reason for the condition worsening.
Chronic Heart Failure
With a sudden lack of oxygen circulated throughout the body from sleep apnea, the heart must work under stress.
It’s forced to pump faster and harder because of pressure build-up.
See, if you don’t breath the circulation cycle is stopped. This causes increased pressure and tissue death from lack of oxygen. On top of that, your blood begins to thicken. Because of carbon-dioxide increase in the blood. This forces your heart to work harder. Ultimately resulting in chronic heart failure.
Stroke
When your heart works harder, and your blood gets thinker blood begins to form. As these clots form, one could block blood flow to your brain. Causing a stroke.
Type 2 Diabetes
Studies have shown that untreated Obstructive Sleep Apnea increases your chance of developing or worsening type 2 diabetes. This is because of insulin resistance associated with sleep apnea.
Note: Middle-aged and older men have a high risk of developing central sleep apnea according to the Mayo Clinic.
Innovation
Many of the car accidents and accidents that involve heavy machinery are because of sleep apnea. The daytime drowsiness and the lack of focus just for a split second are all it takes to change your life forever.
But what if there was a way to improve your sleep apnea concerns effortlessly, and without a big clunky CPAP machine blowing air into your stomach. You would be able to wake up refreshed, happy, and prevent all these medical concerns. Many of them haven’t been listed.
As you can see, sleep apnea is a huge problem left untreated. And recent research states that about 80% of the United States is undiagnosed. Drowsy driving is dangerous driving.
Dr. Levy of Sleep Better Columbus created a proven and innovative way to improve your sleep apnea, preventing further health deterioration.
A New Way to Improve Your Sleep Apnea Condition
Improving your health by recognizing how serious sleep apnea is should be crystal clear by now. So, let’s switch gears and explore sleep apnea treatment options without CPAP. Some people love their CPAP mask and find great comfort in using it.
However, at the offices of Sleep Better Columbus, the Oral Appliance is making waves, and many are finding results when traditional treatment did not work. The oral appliance is much like a mouthpiece, it’s fitted to you, it’s much more comfortable to use, and you don’t need a big machine by the bedside.
It works by position your jaw forward and making your airway free of obstruction. This is an FDA approved medical device. What is fantastic is the compliant rate of use compared to the CPAP. Because of the caring and attentive staff at Sleep Better Columbus, you will receive an oral appliance that is comfortable. They also will follow up to make sure your sleeping patterns and testing improve by using it.
Oral Appliances are for patients suffering from Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Central Sleep Apnea involves the nervous system requiring other forms of care and resources used.
In Conclusion
The main question of how serious is sleep apnea can easily be answered… very serious. Not to mention, it’s also very dangerous if left untreated. It’s important going forward you pay attention to how you feel when you wake up. If you snore that is a sign to set and an appointment with the Sleep Better Columbus for a sleep study. The friendly staff will go over all your concerns and can also offer you a way to do your study at home.
