Why Sleep Apnea is So Dangerous

Do you suspect that you have sleep apnea, or have you been told by your doctor that you do? If so, this is not a condition that you should dismiss or ignore. Not only is it very dangerous to your health overall, it can even be downright deadly. But what is sleep apnea and why is it so dangerous?

The term "apnea" refers to a cessation of breath, so sleep apnea is when a person stops breathing during their sleep. Usually those who have this condition find that their breathing stops several times throughout the night but very often they're not even aware of the fact that this is happening. The body wakes itself up just enough to get breathing again but not enough that a person is aware of the fact that they're awake. They feel groggy, fatigued, and drowsy all day even though they think they've been asleep all night. This is one major problem with sleep apnea - some patients never get treatment for it since they don't even know they have it.

When the body goes through sleep apnea on a regular basis this is very dangerous. Being denied oxygen over and over again can cause problems with many systems and organs. If untreated it can cause brain damage, heart damage, and muscle damage. These parts of the body need a continuous flow of oxygen at all times and a regular stoppage will mean damage. But unfortunately if someone has sleep apnea and doesn't know it, they may experience damage to these parts of the body and systems and not understand why.

Another problem with sleep apnea is that when a person doesn't breathe out, this allows carbon dioxide to build up in the system. Breathing means not just taking in oxygen but sending out carbon dioxide. When you don't do this, that carbon dioxide builds up and acts as a poison in the system.

And if a person has sleep apnea they could also literally suffocate during the night. Some people who have this condition aren't as able to wake up as others; someone that takes sleeping pills, or that drink alcohol, or for some other reason sleep too deeply are at risk for not being able to wake up to get breathing again. It's unfortunate that some have actually died due to the condition of sleep apnea.

Fixing sleep apnea isn't terribly difficult for most. Very often a person has this condition because of being overweight or obese; the excess body fat around the neck collapses the airways. Losing weight is a difficult prospect for many but something that's worth it if it means being safe at night. Doctors can also prescribe a type of breathing machine that many patients of sleep apnea use. This machine is like an oxygen mask that fits over the nose and mouth and that gently pushes oxygen into the system all night. Considering how dangerous this condition is, it's worth it to explore every option for addressing it.