Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder that affects many people, but it’s not just something that causes you to feel tired during the day. It can have a major impact on your heart health, too. People with sleep apnea experience pauses in their breathing while they sleep, which can lead to lower oxygen levels in the body. Over time, this can increase the risk of heart problems. Let’s take a closer look at how sleep apnea and your heart are connected.
What is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a condition where a person’s breathing stops and starts while they are sleeping. The most common type of sleep apnea is called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA occurs when the muscles in the throat relax too much during sleep, causing a blockage in the airway. This can stop you from breathing for short periods, sometimes lasting for 10 seconds or more. These pauses in breathing can happen many times throughout the night, disrupting your sleep and lowering your oxygen levels.
Central sleep apnea, a less common form of the condition, happens when the brain doesn’t send the right signals to the muscles that control breathing. Complex sleep apnea is a combination of both obstructive and central sleep apnea.
How Sleep Apnea Affects Your Heart
When your breathing stops during sleep, your body doesn’t get enough oxygen. This can cause your blood pressure to rise and put extra strain on your heart. Over time, this can lead to serious heart problems. One of the most common issues is high blood pressure, or hypertension. People with untreated sleep apnea often have higher blood pressure because the repeated drops in oxygen levels during sleep make the heart work harder to pump blood.
Sleep apnea can also increase the risk of developing heart disease. When your oxygen levels drop, your heart has to work harder to circulate oxygen-rich blood throughout your body. This can lead to an increased heart rate and can cause the heart to become weaker over time. If sleep apnea is left untreated, it can contribute to the development of heart failure, a condition where the heart is no longer able to pump blood effectively.
Another concern is the risk of arrhythmias, which are abnormal heart rhythms. Sleep apnea can trigger irregular heartbeats, especially during the episodes when your breathing stops. These arrhythmias can be dangerous, as they increase the risk of heart attacks and other serious heart problems.
Sleep Apnea and Stroke Risk
Sleep apnea is also linked to an increased risk of stroke. The repeated drops in oxygen levels and the increased blood pressure can damage blood vessels over time. This can raise the chances of a stroke, especially in people who already have other risk factors, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or a family history of stroke.
Managing Sleep Apnea to Protect Your Heart
If you have sleep apnea, it’s important to seek treatment to protect both your sleep and your heart. The good news is that sleep apnea is treatable, and managing it can significantly reduce the risk of heart problems.
One common treatment for sleep apnea is the use of a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine. A CPAP machine delivers a constant stream of air through a mask that keeps the airway open while you sleep. This helps prevent the breathing pauses and ensures that your body gets the oxygen it needs. In some cases, doctors may recommend other treatments such as lifestyle changes, dental devices, or even surgery to address sleep apnea.
Making lifestyle changes can also help. Losing weight, quitting smoking, and avoiding alcohol before bed can reduce the severity of sleep apnea. Regular exercise and sleeping on your side instead of your back can also help improve your sleep apnea symptoms.