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Sleep Apnea and Heart Disease
Many deaths among people in their 40s and older which are attributed to heart disease and transportation accidents may actually be related to an unseen epidemic of snoring and sleep apnea. As a result, 95 percent of the millions of people who suffer from sleep apnea have not and may never be diagnosed, let alone treated. Those with coronary artery disease whose blood oxygen is lowered by sleep disordered breathing may be at risk of ventricular arrhythmias and nocturnal sudden death. Treatment with CPAP and oral appliances may reduce this risk. Sleep disordered breathing, including apnea, may also cause coronary artery disease. People who snore heavily and have pauses in breathing may be at risk too. In obstructive sleep apnea, often marked by snoring, the right side of the heart may suffer damage because it has to pump harder to support the extra effort of the lungs trying to overcome the obstruction of the airway.
Hypertension, Diabetes and Sleep Apnea
Studies show that Hypertension and heart failure are strongly linked with sleep apnea. OSA appears to be one of the causes of hypertension. The repetitive decrease in oxygen that occurs during the night in someone with sleep apnea heightens the body's fight or flight state, which can raise blood pressure. The body also secretes more hormones such as cortisol and epinephrine, and thus the body responds by producing more glucose. This coupled with a decreased sensitivity to insulin, can lead to diabetes.
Sleep Apnea and Weight Gain
Those who sleep less are more likely to be obese then those who get a proper amount of sleep. This could explain why people who suffer from sleep apnea, a known thief of sleep, tend to gain weight at an above normal rate.
Once you become an apnea victim, even more weight piles on. Not only is the ability or desire to exercise even more decreased, sleep apnea seems to causes hormonal changes on the body that influence weight gain.
Sleep Apnea and Depression
Those with depression are five times more likely to have a breathing-related sleep disorder than non-depressed people, according to a study at the Stanford University School of Medicine. Sleep Apnea affects the way you function regardless of if you’re awake or not. Improper quality of sleep adversely affects your mood and mental state.
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