There are many sleep apnea dangers that most people don’t know exist. While some people may think of it as common snoring, sleep apnea is something that needs to be taken very seriously. In fact, if left untreated, the sleeping disorder can cause death via congestive heart failure. Sleep apnea, (apnea literally meaning without breath) is something that affects men, women, adults and children. It is characterized by a minimum of 10 second intervals between breaths, which result in either a neurological arousal or a blood oxygen desaturation of at least three or four percent. No group of people is immune from the disastrous consequences of the disorder, which makes it extremely scary. Since it’s something at occurs when you sleep, many people who sleep alone don’t know that they suffer from it until it’s too late.
Some of the sleep apnea dangers that can act as symptoms include loud snoring (with periods of breathlessness immediately followed by gasps for air), morning headaches and esophageal reflux. Because of the lack of sleep that many sleep apnea patients suffer from, there are often side effects that can be just as troubling as the disorder itself. For example, many people who have sleep apnea also experience depression, irritability and anxiety. These three things can combine to really mess with a persons head. Imagine feeling depressed and angry all of the time, not knowing that something like sleep apnea is causing your troubles. Many times the side effects can get treated with pharmaceutical drugs, but these do nothing to combat the apnea itself.
The sleep apnea dangers are literally too numerous to list. If you or a loved one are concerned about having the disorder, it is imperative that you see a doctor immediately to begin treatment. If you don’t, the consequences can be severe.