Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a potentially serious sleep disorder that arises when your breathing involuntarily stops and starts numerous times while you are sleeping due to an obstruction in the airway.¹

This condition can cause excessive snoring while sleeping and daytime sleepiness.1 If left untreated for too long, OSA can put considerable stress on your body. Potential health problems associated with untreated sleep apnea (particularly among people who are carrying excessive weight) can include:^1,2,3,4

High blood pressure: Some people who have used CPAP* therapy to treat sleep apnea experience improvements to high blood pressure issues.

Heart problems: If you have a heart condition, sleep apnea can make the problem worse. This is because sleep apnea disrupts your oxygen intake.

Type 2 diabetes: Being obese raises a person’s risk of having type 2 diabetes and sleep apnea. Therefore, type 2 diabetes is a common condition among people diagnosed as having sleep apnea.

Metabolic syndrome: People with metabolic system have three of more of the following conditions. It is common for people with sleep apnea to have a cluster of these health problems. 

• High blood sugar.
• High blood pressure.
• Excess fat around the waist.
• Abnormal cholesterol level.
• High triglyceride level.

Daytime fatigue: This is a common sleep apnea symptom that can impact every aspect of your life, including your work performance, concentration, memory and mental health.

Severe accidents: Sleep apnea can put your life and the lives of others at risk from accidents with machinery or while driving. Being excessively sleepy is among the leading causes of fatal car crashes in the US. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates there were 91,000 police-reported crashes involved drowsy drivers in 2017. These crashes led to an estimated 50,000 people injured and nearly 800 deaths.⁵

The good news for those who have been diagnosed as having sleep apnea is that a treatment path, such as CPAP therapy, can reduce the risk of you experiencing any of the health problems outlined within this article.

If you are concerned you may have sleep apnea, it is important to consult with your doctor and undergo a sleep test that can provide you with an accurate diagnosis.

Go to What are the symptoms of sleep apnea? if you are concerned about your sleeping patterns.

The content is for educational purposes only. It should not be used as a substitute for the medical advice of one’s healthcare provider.