Last week we looked at how poor sleep can lead to problems with our dental health. Today, we’re going to take this a step further and look at five more impacts of sleep apnea (OSA). In addition to your oral health, the cessation of breathing and episodes of waking up frequently due to OSA can lead to a number of very serious complications unless treated in a timely manner.
The Impacts of Sleep Apnea
- Difficulty Concentrating: The disorder can leave you sleep deprived, which makes concentrating on tasks at work or school difficult. This can impact your personal and professional life, reducing your overall quality of life.
- Exhaustion During the Day: Patients often feel exhausted during the day. In addition to making the day difficult, this also increases the risk of falling asleep behind the wheel, which can be very dangerous for people with long commutes or who operate heavy machinery.
- Issues Related to High Blood Pressure: Without treatment, obstructive sleep apnea can eventually lead to hypertension. High blood pressure also increases the risk of a stroke or heart attack. While a sleep disorder may not seem like a big deal, the complications it can cause are very serious.
- Moodiness: We’re never in a good mood when we lose sleep. As a result, sufferers of sleep apnea often experience mood swings, which can impact relationships. In the long run, untreated OSA can increase the risk of depression.
- Interruptions to Your Significant Other’s Sleep: You won’t be the only person losing sleep. Symptoms of sleep apnea include chronic snoring and episodes of waking suddenly gasping for air or choking. These warning signs can also wake up your significant other, causing the people you love to also experience sleep deprivation, moodiness, and trouble concentrating during the day.
