What Happens if You Don’t Treat Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a disorder that causes repeated pauses in breathing during sleep. Without proper treatment, it can make you feel worn-out day after day! However, the consequences of not treating sleep apnea can go much further than that. It could affect your health, your emotional wellness, and more. What exactly might happen if you try to ignore your sleep apnea? This blog post explains.

Poor Metabolic and Cardiovascular Health

High-quality sleep is one of the main pillars of overall health. Sleep apnea can rob you of the rest your body needs to function optimally. In fact, it is associated with an increased risk of numerous health conditions, including:

• Heart attack
• Stroke
• High blood pressure
• Type 2 diabetes
• Unwanted weight gain

The reason behind these health risks may be because sleep apnea can deprive your body of oxygen. It can also increase stress on your entire system and interfere with hormonal functions.

Emotional Disorders

Mental and emotional health are just as important as physical health. Sadly, untreated sleep apnea may increase the risk of some serious disorders, including anxiety and depression. In fact, one study of almost 19,000 people with major depressive disorder found that they were five times more likely to have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) than the general population.

Higher Accident Risk

Poor quality sleep, or a lack of sleep, is a major risk factor for motor vehicle accidents. In fact, one study found severe sleep apnea to increase the risk of a crash by 123%! That association was present even in individuals who did not exhibit excessive sleepiness. This correlation may be why professionals who perform medical evaluations for CDL drivers are required to consider each patient’s risk factors for OSA.

Memory Problems

High-quality sleep plays a critical role in concentration in memory, and long-term sleep problems can lead to significant memory issues. In fact, OSA is associated with increased dementia risk. It may also contribute to mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which is a less severe form of memory loss that commonly affects older individuals.

The Value of Sleep Apnea Treatment

The above information might sound scary, but remember — those things are associated with untreated sleep apnea. If you start treatment in a timely manner and stick to a good sleep routine, you could very well delay or even prevent some serious health problems!

Meet the Practice

Dr. Kenneth Mogell is a double board-certified dental sleep medicine expert. He specializes in providing oral appliance therapy for individuals with obstructive sleep apnea. It is a convenient alternative to CPAP machines! If you would like to learn more about Dr. Mogell and the services available in our practice, contact our Melbourne, FL, location at 321-265-3462.