The snore is iconic. It can be a giveaway, a weakness, endearing or torturous. Some of us don’t know we have it and some of us quite frankly my dear, don’t give a damn.
What many fail to realize though is that snoring is often the first sign of sleep apnea. Because it doesn’t manifest in alarming symptoms, it doesn’t give people a sense of urgency. This is the main reason it gets worse; the other being that most people don’t know the risks of ignoring it.
Well, you’d best brace yourself because we’re about to talk all about 5 reasons sleep apnea is dangerous.
Exhaustion
People who suffer from sleep apnea know all too well that their sleep can be best described as intermittent. Unable to achieve sustained sleep, the price their body pays is high.
Common problems from exhaustion include:
• Inability to concentrate
• Lack of energy
• Falling asleep at random
• Irritability or mood swings
High Blood Pressure
Waking up constantly wreaks havoc on your hormones. High blood pressure happens at night as a result of the reduced oxygen. This greatly increases the chances of hypertension. Rapid bouts of low oxygen levels can actually trigger heart problems and increase the chance of stroke.
Depression and Anxiety
Sleep deprivation is employed during military interrogations and torture. It violates human rights and taking someone’s sleep away is actually prohibited by the Geneva Convention.
When sleep apnea takes your sleep away, the wires in your brain start to get crossed. The constant stress of getting sleep but not resting results in someone who is always on edge, in a way. It can be difficult to remain focused on your goals and the effect is sure to bleed into other aspects of your life including work and family.
Liver Problems
There’s a direct correlation between people with sleep apnea and scarring in the liver. If you can’t filter out toxins in your body the only place you’re headed to is the hospital. The systemic inflammation that results from lack of sleep usually goes hand in hand with obesity. Either way, liver disease isn’t far behind.
Surgical Complications
Not only does sleep apnea cause a slew of medical problems, but it could prevent you from recovering in case of emergency. If you need surgery, lying down and dealing with the anaesthesia could prove troublesome with the impaired breathing brought on by your sleep apnea.
Put it to rest
It’s fairly obvious that you shouldn’t take sleep apnea lightly. It may just be a minor annoyance now but the complications can snowball until they’re wildly out of control. One side-effect plays off of another until you’re in deep water.
This is why it’s important to get checked out by a professional. If it’s taken care of early, not only will you avoid tons of problems, you won’t lose any sleep over them.