How Dangerous is Sleep Apnea

Understanding the Danger of Sleep Apnea

How dangerous is sleep apnea? Course you may wonder about it. But before talking about the danger, let’s find out about sleep apnea first. Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder. It happens when the breath interrupted during sleep. It can be a serious problem, especially if there is no treatment for this. As the result, the brain will not get enough oxygen. This health disorder can be experienced by anyone. But for women, there are the hidden dangers on it.

Sleep Apnea Types and the Risks

There are 2 types of sleep apnea. Those are Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and Central Sleep Apnea. Obstructive Sleep Apnea is the most common sleep apnea. It caused by airway blockage. When the soft tissue that located on the back of the throat collapse, this type of sleep apnea may occur. It may happen during the sleep. The second type or Central Sleep Apnea is so different with Obstructive Sleep Apnea. It did not cause by airway blocked. In fact, it caused by the brain failure. In here, the brain fails to signal the muscle, specifically to the muscles that responsible to take a breath. In the most case, it caused by instability of the respiratory control center. Everybody has the same risk. Even it can affect to children as well.

The risk factors of sleep apnea are including overweight, over age 40 and family history. Having the large neck size, the large tonsils, tongue and small jaw bone may gain the risk as well. Beside it, GERD and nasal obstruction also improve the risk of sleep apnea. If sleep apnea left untreated, it may cause the other diseases. This is including stroke, diabetes, heart failure, depression, high blood pressure and headache. Beside it, it can also worsening ADHD.

Sleep Apnea and the Impacts

Sleep apnea can interfere the daily activities. Poor performance is just the beginning. As the result, it may lead the sufferers to the other risks such as vehicle crashes. It may reduce the productivity as well. On adult, sleep apnea may cause asthma as well. But it stills not proven. However, people who treated for sleep apnea experience the lower asthma attacks. The other major issue of sleep apnea is weight gain and inability to lose weight. Of course it can be the worst combination for overweight problem. This is because of there is not enough energy to make exercise. As the result, the sleep apnea sufferers cannot lose their weight by exercise. Sleep apnea may cause fatigue as well. This is why the risk of vehicle crashes may gain significantly on the sleep apnea sufferers. Even it can be worse.

There is no effective treatment for this. Sleep medicine will not offer a cure. Heart failure on sleep apnea such as coronary artery disease may occur as well. It also affects irregular heartbeat and stroke. The best way to reduce the risk is by diagnosing it soon. By knowing it soon, you can get the right treatment sooner too. Beside it, it can reduce the risk and answer the question of how dangerous is sleep apnea.