Sleep apnea is actually a dangerous sleeping condition that must not be taken lightly. The condition can turn fatal at any given moment that is why it is important to get treated. Let me share what I know about it.
So, how many people die from sleep apnea? Approximately 40,000 people die from sleep apnea or conditions complicated by sleep apnea while 22 million people continue to suffer from the sleeping condition.
Sleep apnea is recognized as an accompanying disease which means it is usually paired with another disease or causes another disease to appear and the diseases will worsen each other, eventually leading to death.
This sleeping condition usually causes brain and heart issues which can be deadly if left untreated.
In fact, the sudden pauses in breathing alone caused by sleep apnea is enough to become a person’s cause of death since the heart is unable to beat and the oxygen doesn’t reach our brain.
It’s like an engine failing to run because of a broken wire.
Many people are actually not aware that they may have sleep apnea and take its signs lightly since they do not know how deadly the condition can be.
The rising number of people dying in their sleep seem to increase each passing year and sleep apnea is one of the top causes.
Sleep apnea can have different causes and have different means for treatment which is why it is important to diagnose the condition properly and avoid the risk of sudden deaths during sleep.
People with sleep apnea may be unknowingly worsening their sleep apnea that could potentially lead to death at any time.
When sleep apnea attacks and people die from it, some are shocked and confused since they are not aware of the real reason why people can die from it or how they even got it in the first place.
Untreated, severe sleep apnea is dangerous and must be treated to avoid death.
So how does sleep apnea cause deaths? What does it do and how do you cure it? Sleep apnea can be complicated so read on to learn more about what it does and what can be done against it.
Why people can die from sleep apnea
Learning about how many people die from sleep apnea each year, let me tell you how it kills people. At first, the condition may sound simple but once you read these threats you will know how scary sleep apnea can be.
Sleep apnea can cause the following.
- Heart failure
- May lead to fatal conditions such as brain damages or even death
- Heart attack
- Can also be severely life-threatening
- Irregular heartbeat
- Worsens the ability to breathe
- Can trigger anxiety
- Can lead to other heart diseases
- Stroke
- Can leave permanent damage
- May lead to paralysis
- Can cause death
- Depression
- Not an easy condition to treat
- Can lead to self-harming
- Diabetes
- Leaves you prone to more heart attacks
- High Blood Pressure
- Aside from your physical health, this can also affect your mental health and relationship with people around you including your work
- Can lead to other life-threatening conditions
- Increases ADHD
- Sleep apnea reduces your ability to focus which is what happens when you have ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)
- Having a lack of control to focus can lead to frustration and risk of other danger
- Headaches
- You may wake up with a bad headache which will lead to other problems listed here
- Can lead to brain problems
- Lack of daily energy
- As mentioned, your energy will be reduced since you are unable to sleep well. This can lead to risky conditions that may put someone in danger
- Seizures
- Sleep apnea patients are more prone to seizures during sleep compared to epilepsy patients without sleep apnea.
What worsens sleep apnea that can lead to death
There are certain factors that can make sleep apnea worse and become one’s cause of death. Some of these are natural factors that cannot be helped at all, but it’s important that you know about it.
- Obesity
- Can make breathing difficult even while asleep or not moving
- Hypothyroidism
- The condition wherein your body does not produce enough thyroid hormones, which is needed to control how to use energy received from food through metabolism. Bad metabolism can affect heartbeat and breathing.
- Acromegaly
- Opposite of hypothyroidism, acromegaly produces too much growth hormones which can affect your overall health including breathing.
- Allergies
- There are certain allergies that can worsen sleep apnea. Allergies that result with difficulty in breathing are the likes.
- Smoking cigarettes
- Excessive smoking can damage your body which may make it harder to function or relax properly, increasing the risk of sleep apnea
- Drinking liquor
- Too much liquor and drinking before going to sleep can cause sleep apnea.
- Drug usage
- Sedations or other types of drugs especially when being abused can result in sleep apnea or worse.
- Certain drugs, medications or such can worsen sleep apnea and lead to sudden death
- Being male
- Observations reveal that males tend to have sleep apnea more than females
- Though this factor cannot be avoided, knowing about it will help you understand the reason why you are prone to sleep apnea
- Being old
- Observations also revealed that older adults are more prone to sleep apnea than younger ones due to more complicated health issues that may trigger sleep apnea
Other natural causes of sleep apnea can be a thick neck, narrow throat and having a round head. Avoid triggering your allergies or get medications for other conditions to cure your sleep apnea.
How to prevent dying from sleep apnea
After understanding how deadly sleep apnea can be, the next thing you should do is know how to prevent it or cure it. There are plenty of tips that you can do starting with your lifestyle and if not, there are surgeries.
- Nasal Strips
- Nasal strips are one of the earliest tools used to treat sleep apnea and its symptoms such as snoring. Nowadays, there are newly developed nasal strips that you can try.
- Oral Appliance
- Oral pieces can help with sleep apnea, they are custom made to make sure it prevents the obstruction in the airways and counter sleep apnea.
- Lose weight
- Being overweight or obesity can be a cause of sleep apnea. You can potentially get rid of sleep apnea by getting plenty of exercises and maintaining a healthy, balanced diet.
- Stop or avoid smoking too much.
- Excessive smoking can cause or worsen sleep apnea. Reducing your smoke intake per day will also reduce the risk of sleep apnea. If possible, quit smoking to potentially get rid of sleep apnea.
- Avoid excessive alcohol consumption
- Drinking too much alcohol before sleeping can cause and worsen sleep apnea just like smoking.
- 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.
- Maintain a proper sleep routine.
- Sometimes, we end up getting exposed to sleep apnea since we simply don’t sleep at the right time. Try to avoid staying up late and sleep early.
- Try to keep a proper sleeping position as well. Try to sleep with your head elevated or sleeping in a recliner chair.
- Don’t overwork yourself all the time.
- Going to sleep exhausted can make us a lot more prone to sleep apnea. It’s important to relax a little bit at first before going to bed to lessen the risk of sleep apnea.
- Treat chronic allergies
- Some allergies can trigger obstruction in your body’s airways and may cause you to have sleep apnea. Treat or avoid triggering your allergies to prevent sleep apnea.
How do you permanently get rid of sleep apnea? Well don’t worry, it is possible to cure sleep apnea today using surgeries.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
What are the signs of sleep apnea that can be deadly
Most of these signs will be noticed by your sleeping partner or housemates. If not, you can actually sign up for a sleep study if you suspect that you may have sleep apnea.
- Heavy snoring
- Maybe, it can be a sign of fatigue but snoring loudly and usually can be a sign of sleep apnea.
- Gasping for air during sleep
- The feeling of drowning without knowing it and suddenly you’re out of air.
- 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.
- Hypersomnia
- Having trouble staying awake in the morning because you were unable to sleep well due to your sleep apnea. We may also confuse sleepiness for sickness.
- Waking up with a headache
- 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.
- Waking up with a dry mouth
- With 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.
- Decreased ability to focus
- Sleep apnea can give lack of sleep which will also result in difficulty to focus on anything
- Feeling uncomfortable
- Your lack of energy due to sleep apnea can make you feel uncomfortable and irritable without your knowledge
- Suddenly stop breathing during sleep
- Your housemates should notice this and tell you about it. Sleep apnea can disrupt breathing that may last for up to 10 seconds which is already risky.
Related Questions
- Does sleep apnea show up on autopsy reports?
Yes, sleep apnea shows up on autopsy reports but most of the time, doctors or people alone are more focused on its partnered diseases and conditions that sleep apnea is often overlooked despite its contribution to death.
- What can happen if sleep apnea goes untreated?
Untreated sleep apnea can lead to death, sudden deaths, mental problems, complicated health problems and hinder other normal daily life activities.
There are a lot of things sleep apnea can do to our health and none of them are good.
