- High Blood Pressure Scientific research suggests that patients with OSA are more likely to develop hypertension (high blood pressure).
- Type 2 diabetes 80 percent of patients with diabetes and insulin resistance have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, too.
- Dementia and Alzheimer’s OSA cuts the brain’s oxygen supply. This increases the risk of early onset dementia and early onset Alzheimer’s disease.
- Heart Failure Sleep apnea occurs in approximately 50 percent of all patients who experience heart failure.
- Stroke One study found that 64 percent of stroke victims were also suffering from sleep apnea.
- Coronary Heart Disease Men with severe obstructive sleep apnea are 58 percent more likely to develop new congestive heart failure.
Driving accidents
Sleep apnea diminishes the quality of your sleep which leads to daytime sleep attacks. In other words, you feel extremely tired during the day and you might easily doze off at the wheel. Drivers with OSA are five times more likely to have a car accident.
Reduced productivity
Sleep apnea can lead to repeated episodes of struggling to stay awake at your desk. This condition makes you feel chronically fatigued, depressed and impacts your decision-making. It also affects your memory and your ability to concentrate.
Weight gain
Sleep apnea makes you feel tired all the time and eat more (especially carbohydrates and sweets). In addition to that, most OSA patients have thyroid issues which also contribute to obesity.
Lower libido
80% of men with sleep apnea have been found to exhibit erectile dysfunction. This happens because obstructive sleep apnea lowers your testosterone levels. As a result, you have a lower sex drive.
Relationship issues
We shouldn’t overlook the impact that sleep apnea can have on your intimate relationships. Your partner may refuse to sleep in the same room. You may feel guilty and embarrassed that your snoring disrupts his or her sleep.
Sleep apnea may cause an early death
On average, untreated OSA patients live 20 years less than other people
Sleep apnea does not “go away”. In fact, it gets from bad to worse.
Over time, patients develop many of the chronic conditions described above which increases their risk of dying early. With proper treatment, all of this can be avoided.