Uncontrolled, this condition can seriously complicate your health  

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) occurs when your breathing involuntarily stops and starts while you sleep, waking you up repeatedly throughout the night and often leaving you exhausted the following day.¹ 

While mood swings, poor concentration, and daytime fatigue are some of the immediate effects of sleep apnea, there are several serious long-term health risks that can develop when the condition has been left untreated for too long.^1,2 

These conditions can include:^{2,3,4,5,6,7,8,10,11,12}

High blood pressure  

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is common in people who are suffering from sleep apnea. It can lead to a heart attack, stroke, or an irregular heartbeat.     

Heart disease  

If left untreated, OSA can increase your risk of heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in the US.⁷ According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease is the biggest killer in the United States – it’s responsible for the deaths of one in four Americans.⁷

 Numerous studies have shown a person with OSA can have an enlarged heat, which reduces the heart’s ability to pump effectively. Because sleep apnea can affect the shape of your heart and create abnormal heart rhythms, cardiac arrest is therefore a real possibility.  

Stroke  

Simply put, a stroke is an interruption of blood flow to the brain which prevents it from working properly – in the US there are more than 795,000 strokes every year.⁹ It’s second only to cardiovascular disease as the country’s leading cause of death, and it can leave those who survive a stroke with mild to severe disability. In the World Health Organization’s 2019 list of leading causes of death in the world, stroke is ranked second behind heart disease.  

However, a stroke is largely preventable. If you have OSA, it’s important you get it treated as soon as possible as this condition increases your risk of suffering a stroke.   

Depression  

There is a higher prevalence of depression in people with OSA, compared to rates of depression in the general population. 

Diabetes 

When you have sleep apnea, your ability to metabolise glucose may become impaired. Therefore, sleep apnea may contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes or worsening of control over the condition.  

It is important to note that sleep apnea and type 2 diabetes can coexist without one having caused the other. Obesity can be responsible for both conditions.   

Managing diabetes when you have sleep apnea is far more difficult. That’s because the carbon dioxide in your blood increases when your breathing stops and starts while you sleep, and this can lead to insulin resistance.    

Obesity   

We know obesity increases the risk of sleep apnea. However, there is a growing body of research that shows the reverse is also true – that sleep apnea can cause weight gain. There are several reasons this can happen. First, sleep apnea can disrupt your metabolism and slow it down. And second, it can lower your energy levels during the day and reduce your amount of physical activity.  

Mortality 

People with OSA have nearly a twofold higher risk of sudden death and cardiovascular mortality. Treatment can reduce that risk. 

So, how do you get treatment for OSA?  

When you have sleep apnea, both your physical and emotional well-being can be adversely affected. But there is hope. To reduce long-term health risks, it’s important you get it diagnosed and treated by your doctor or a recognized sleep specialist as soon as possible.   

There are many treatments for sleep apnea that have a high rate of success, including continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP*), which keeps oxygen flowing into your lungs while you sleep via a facemask.

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