When is Sleep Apnea Dangerous?

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When is Sleep Apnea Dangerous?

Sleep apnea is actually becoming a common illness that not many take seriously. It should not be taken lightly as it can be dangerous. Here, let me tell you about the signs of when it can get dangerous.

So, when is sleep apnea dangerous? Here are 10 signs of sleep apnea when can be dangerous.

  1. Heavy snoring
    • Maybe, it can be a sign of fatigue but snoring loudly and usually can be a sign of sleep apnea.
  2. Gasping for air during sleep
    • The feeling of drowning without knowing it and suddenly you’re out of air.
  3. Insomnia
    • Having trouble going to sleep because you have breathing problems that you may not notice
    • This is also why we feel sick later on, the lack of sleep means lack of energy.
  4. Hypersomnia
    • Having trouble staying awake in the morning because you were unable to sleep well due to your obstructive sleep apnea. We may also confuse sleepiness for sickness.
  5. Sudden weight gain or loss
    • Obstructive sleep apnea can lead to uncontrolled weight gain or weight loss for some cases. It’s because of the uncontrollable hormones affected by sleep deprivation.
  6. Waking up with a headache
    • Obstructive sleep apnea can disturb your body’s “charging” state. Since you can’t sleep well, your body will use energy for means that can help you breathe which may lead to headaches.
  7. Waking up with a dry mouth
    • With obstructive sleep apnea, the person tends to snore and keep their mouth open when gasping for air which leads to a dried up mouth once we awaken.
  8. Decreased ability to focus
    • Obstructive sleep apnea can give lack of sleep which will also result in difficulty to focus on anything
  9. Feeling uncomfortable
    • Your lack of energy due to obstructive sleep apnea can make you feel uncomfortable and irritable without your knowledge
  10. Suddenly stop breathing during sleep
    • Your housemates should notice this and tell you about it. Obstructive sleep apnea can disrupt breathing that may last for up to 10 seconds which is already risky.

The fact that your breathing alone is being continuously interrupted during sleep is already dangerous enough, but the other symptoms here can lead to more dangerous things.

If you experience all of these altogether, then you should consider treating the condition immediately as it can lead to more dangerous health risks that will be shown to you below.

Why sleep apnea can be dangerous

What will happen if you don’t treat dangerous or severe sleep apnea? Here’s what sleep apnea can do to your health.

  • Sleep apnea causes:
    1. Death
      • Sleep apnea interrupts breathing that can affect the heart and the brain which can lead to sudden death during sleep.
    2. Difficult breathing
      • Sleep apnea can occur when there is an obstruction in the airway or the brain is unable to function well that helps the body breathe, causing difficult breathing.
    3. Snoring
      • If there is an obstruction in the airway, the muscles around the throat may vibrate and cause snoring.
    4. Worsens other illnesses
      • Being unable to breathe well during sleep disrupts your entire body’s functionality and eventually attacking the other diseases a patient may already have.
    5. Heart problems
      • With sleep apnea, you are more prone to heart problems such as heart failure or heart attacks. This is due to the lack of blood oxygen levels.
    6. Irregular heartbeat
      • Due to the low blood oxygen levels or the air is unable to reach your heart, it can lead to an abnormal heartbeat or pauses in breathing during sleep.
    7. Stroke
      • Similar to heart problems
    8. Depression
      • Being unable to breathe well during sleep and get the proper rest can mess up your emotions or eventually lead to depression.
    9. Weight gain or loss
      • Sleep apnea messes up your body’s hormone production. You can end up gaining weight faster due to sleep apnea.
    10. Diabetes
      • Having sleep apnea disables the body’s ability to control the sugar level which can lead to diabetes.
    11. High Blood Pressure
      • Sleep apnea can potentially cause or worsen hypertension in people.
    12. Increases ADHD
      • Being sleep deprived decreases the person’s ability to focus, worsening conditions such as ADHD.
    13. Headaches
      • The lack of air that enters the brain can lead to other brain problems, but usually results in morning headaches.
    14. Daytime sleepiness
      • Difficulty breathing at night can lead to restless sleeps, making you feel the need to stay asleep even during the day because your body couldn’t rest well at night.
    15. Insomnia
      • Difficulty in breathing can lead to insomnia. Instead of waking up randomly at night, you will end up being unable to sleep.
    16. Seizures
      • Sleep apnea patients are more prone to seizures during sleep compared to epilepsy patients without sleep apnea.
    17. Irritability
      • When you are sleep deprived, you will unconsciously lose control of your emotional stability. You can become irritable or easily frustrated with sleep apnea.
    18. Poor memory
      • Sleep apnea causes sleep deprivation which may lower your brain’s performance as it affects the brain activity, causing poor memory in patients.
    19. Respiratory diseases
      • Sleep apnea is a respiratory disease that may cause other diseases or worsen them.
    20. Driving accidents
      • The lack of concentration and daytime sleepiness can lead to driving accidents when you have sleep apnea.

It can be truly terrifying, so make sure you get treated immediately. As you read on, you’ll learn about the available treatment methods for curing sleep apnea.

How to treat dangerous sleep apnea

There are different ways to treat severe sleep apnea and it can be different depending on what causes it in the first place.

Some of the treatments listed in here only involve basic lifestyle changes and some require medical surgeries or the use of medical equipment. Check out what might be best for you.

  1. Rapid Maxillary Expansion
    • For children with obstructive sleep apnea. This process places an expandable brace on the roof of the mouth that increases the width of the upper jaw (maxilla).
    • Over time, parents can adjust the brace using a special key to increase the amount of pressure for the teeth.
  2. Jaw Advancement Surgery
    • For teenagers and adults. This process will surgically break the jaw bones, moved forward and then fixed properly with screws and plates and will change the person’s facial structure or profile.
    • It might take months to recover.
  3. Surgical Airway Advancement
    • Similar to the 2nd example. Bones of the upper and lower jaw will be repositioned in a way that will relieve airway obstruction.
  4. Nasal Strips
    • Nasal strips are one of the earliest tools used to treat conditions like sleep apnea and its symptoms such as snoring.

      Nowadays, there are newly developed nasal strips that you can try.
  5. Oral Appliance
    • Oral pieces can help with sleep apnea and snoring, they are custom made to make sure it prevents the obstruction in the airways and counter sleep apnea and snoring.
  6. CPAP Treatment
    • The CPAP or “Continuous Positive Airway Pressure” is a commonly used treatment and proven to be effective for sleep apnea patients and helping snoring.
  7. Avoid sedatives before going to sleep
    • Certain sedatives can cause sleep apnea. Consult a medical expert to determine what type of sedative may be the cause.
  8. Treat chronic allergies
    • Some allergies can trigger obstruction in your body’s airways and may cause you to have sleep apnea and cause you to snore.
  9. Try to avoid overworking yourself.
    • Sometimes, simply going to sleep while totally exhausted can make our muscles relax too much to the point that it can lead to sleep apnea.
  10. Avoid drinking liquor before bed.
    • Excessive liquor can also relax the muscles that will lead to sleep apnea. Limit alcohol consumption or avoid drinking too much before going to sleep.
  11. Sleep with your head elevated.
    • When the head is not properly elevated, the tongue can fall back and block the air passage, causing the tissues to vibrate and snore.

      You can also use an anti-snore pillow which will keep your head in proper place that can help stop sleep apnea. Sleeping in a chair or a recliner chair is also an option.
  12. Try to sleep on your sides.
    • Sleeping flat on our backs can cause the tongue to fall back and block the airways. It can also make the muscles relax and cause sleep apnea.

      You can read about: “How to prevent sleeping on my back” to learn how you can keep sleeping on your sides.
  13. Get plenty of exercises.
    • Lack of physical activity can cause our body’s functionality to drop. This means that we need the right amount of exercise to keep our body “awake” and functioning even as we sleep.
  14. Stop or limit smoking.
    • If your body inhales the smoke, it can cause the muscles inside to swell or become irritated, potentially blocking the airways and causing you to snore.

      Those who are also exposed to secondhand smoke can be prone to sleep apnea, so avoid getting near smoke as much as possible.
  15. Drink enough water.
    • When we are dehydrated, the throat becomes dry which makes the vibrating tissues sound louder and produces snoring or sleep apnea. Stay hydrated!
  16. Eat a healthy diet.
    • Our diet plays a huge part in our health! You should also avoid eating heavy before sleeping, if you go to sleep on a full stomach, your muscles may not work as it should.

      Focus on eating healthy foods!
  17. Sleep on time.
    • Not getting the right amount of sleep and not sleeping early can cause the body to become dysfunctional and have sleep apnea.
  18. Lose weight.
    • Being overweight or obesity will cause difficulty in breathing. The excess fat will get in the way of the air passages, causing tissues to vibrate and cause sleep apnea.

If you suspect that you might have sleep apnea, please consult your doctor immediately for a more accurate diagnosis.

Related Questions

How to diagnose obstructive sleep apnea?

A polysomnography and a sleep study at home are the only way to properly diagnose OSA or obstructive sleep apnea.

A polysomnography is basically the same as a sleep study at home, but the difference is that you will sleep at a sleeping center where health experts and technicians will be monitoring your sleep.

Is sleep apnea a respiratory disease?

Yes, sleep apnea is somehow considered a respiratory disease and it often comes associated with other existing respiratory diseases.

According to research, those who are already infected by any respiratory disease are more likely to be prone to sleep apnea.

Having a respiratory disease will definitely cause breathing problems, which is the main risk factor of sleep apnea.