Sleep apnea is usually dismissed as mere snoring or nighttime restlessness, but it’s far more serious than most are aware. Untreated sleep apnea can creep into almost every system in your body, putting you at risk for serious health issues, and many people don’t even realize they have it. If you think it’s all about bad sleep, reconsider. Here’s a countdown of the greatest and most commonly underestimated dangers of untreated sleep apnea.
10. Depression and Mood Changes
Chronic sleep deprivation isn’t just about crankiness—it can get to your head. Untreated sleep apnea has strong connections to depression, anxiety, and mood swings. According to Dr. Sarah Finucane, individuals with sleep apnea tend to experience feeling flat emotionally, forgetfulness, or being overwhelmed easily. The brain requires good rest in order to regulate stress and emotions, and if sleep is repeatedly disturbed, that balance is disrupted.
9. Brain Fog and Memory Problems
Difficulty concentrating, forgetting, or feeling sluggish mentally? Sleep apnea could be at least part of the issue. WebMD says that frequent oxygen drops and low-quality sleep can weaken memory, attention, and thinking skills, particularly in older adults. It can even speed up cognitive decline over time.
8. Drowsy Driving and Higher Accident Risk
Daytime drowsiness isn’t only annoying—it can kill. Those who have sleep apnea are as much as five times more likely to get into car accidents. Dr. Adrian Pristas equates drowsy driving to drunk driving, noting that it incapacitates your reaction time and judgment. Fatigue caused by sleep is responsible for over 1 in 5 deadly car wrecks.
7. Acid Reflux and Digestive Issues
Sleep apnea and acid reflux tend to accompany each other. During apneic attacks, pressure can force stomach acid into the esophagus, causing the symptoms of GERD, such as heartburn and indigestion. According to Healthline, untreated sleep apnea puts individuals at risk of developing gastrointestinal conditions, further impacting sleep comfort and quality.
6. Complications of the Respiratory System and Asthma
If you suffer from asthma or other respiratory issues, sleep apnea will exacerbate them. Studies indicate that if you treat sleep apnea, it will decrease the frequency of asthma attacks and improve overall breathing. The condition also crosses over with other respiratory diseases, including COPD, which will make daily breathing harder and recovery from sickness slower.
5. Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic syndrome is a risky combination of conditions—high blood pressure, high blood sugar, abnormal cholesterol, and too much belly fat—increasing your risk of diabetes and heart disease. WebMD identifies sleep apnea as a syndrome, discussing how insufficient restorative sleep can trigger a cascade that derails your metabolism.
4. Weight Gain and the Vicious Cycle
Sleep apnea and weight gain go hand in hand. Additional weight is a risk factor for developing sleep apnea, but the presence of sleep apnea also makes it harder to lose weight. Fatigue decreases motivation to get physical, and disturbed sleep can contribute to higher desires for unhealthy foods. It’s a frustrating cause-and-effect situation that’s difficult to escape without intervention.
3. Type 2 Diabetes and Insulin Resistance
There’s a powerful connection between sleep apnea and problems with blood sugar regulation. Dr. Finucane notes that poor sleep interferes with how your body uses insulin, increasing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Up to 80% of people with type 2 diabetes may also have undiagnosed sleep apnea—a concerning statistic that highlights how easily it can go unnoticed.
2. Stroke and Serious Cardiovascular Events
Each time your breathing ceases when asleep, oxygen levels decline, and your body enters a state of stress, increasing heart rate and blood pressure. This ongoing stress, over time, hastens the chances of stroke, heart attack, and abnormal heart rhythms. Untreated sleep apnea in men is three times more likely to have a stroke, Dr. Finucane says.
1. High Blood Pressure, Heart Disease, and Heart Failure
Number one on the list is one of the most dangerous risks: harm to your heart. Sleep apnea greatly raises your chances of developing high blood pressure and heart disease. Dr. Pristas cautions that recurring drops in oxygen and bursts of stress hormones at night can result in arrhythmias, heart attacks, and even heart failure. The chance of sudden cardiac death increases 30% when sleep apnea is not treated.
Sleep apnea is a silent disease that can have far-reaching consequences on your health. Identifying the symptoms—loud snoring, daytime tiredness, morning headaches, poor concentration, and mood changes—is the first step.
If you think you or someone you know might have sleep apnea, speak to your healthcare provider about a sleep study. Treatment methods such as CPAP therapy, lifestyle modifications, or oral appliances can make a huge impact on both your sleep and your overall health. You owe yourself restful, restorative sleep—and your body and mind rely on it.