Many of the dangers of sleep apnea stems from the cardiovascular effects caused when your body senses it has a deficient oxygen supply. When your body lacks oxygen, it triggers your heart to work harder to increase the blood supply. This raises your blood pressure and stresses your heart.
According to some studies, untreated sleep apnea may make you six times more likely to suffer death than from any cause. If left untreated, sleep apnea may cause the following:
- Cardiac arrhythmia
- Depression
- Diabetes
- Fibromyalgia
- Gastric reflux
- Heart attack
- High blood pressure
- Hypertension
- Inefficient metabolism
- Impotence
- Insomnia
- Loss of short term memory
- Memory swings/temperamental behavior
- Muscle pain
- Severe anxiety
- Stroke
- Weight gain
