Sleep Apnea and Cardiovascular Disease
Sleep apnea is a serious medical condition that causes people to temporarily stop breathing during sleep. Decreased oxygen in the body triggers an alarm in your central nervous system, fragmenting sleep and stressing your body – especially the cardiovascular system. Over time, constant stress on your cardiovascular system can lead to cardiovascular disease. Learning what steps to take in order to receive the right treatments for sleep apnea could potentially reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular disease. It’s very important that you discuss a sleep apnea diagnosis with your doctor.
Sleep Apnea: Learn the Facts
The word “apnea” means “absence of breathing.” Sleep experts agree that sleep apnea involves an absence of breathing lasting 10 seconds or longer during sleep. Some people with sleep apnea don’t always remember waking up during the night because they don’t breathe, but negative effects still accumulate in the body. Pressures on the cardiovascular system can result in high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes, and even increased risk of death. It’s crucial to take action if you’ve received a sleep apnea diagnosis. Your physician will help determine how severe your apnea may be and the risks that are relevant to you and your health. Contacting your doctor as soon as possible will allow her to begin planning an effective treatment plan.
It’s All Related
Sleep apnea is a complex medical condition, because its causes and effects are often intermingled. For example, some people develop sleep apnea because they are overweight or obese, resulting in a compromised airway during sleep due to extra body tissues. Yet people who are overweight or obese are also more vulnerable to cardiovascular disease, because of the extra work their hearts must do in order to keep their body systems running smoothly. If your cardiovascular system is already overworked or compromised, sleep apnea only makes it worse because of the stress and pressure of not breathing correctly, and constantly waking up throughout the night. It’s a very dangerous combination, which is why contacting your doctor is key.
Daytime, Nighttime
When sleep apnea disrupts your breathing and your sleep during the night, many unhealthy consequences may result. Blood pressure elevates, and heartbeat irregularities occur. Unnecessary arousals in the nervous system further wear on the body. You might wake up dozens (or hundreds) of times. While these unfortunate effects occur during the night, eventually the body might begin showing the effects during the daytime too. And if you’re already suffering from exhaustion, tiredness, or daytime sleepiness as a result of your fitful night, this adds up to even worse daytime function. Over time, the chances of developing cardiovascular disease increase. Fortunately, the correct medical interventions can help your body get on the right track. Sleep apnea is a treatable condition. With medical supervision, you can get on the road to better sleep and better health.