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 have pauses in their breathing while they sleep, and lower oxygen levels in the body. This can increase the risk of heart problems. Let’s take a closer look at how sleep apnea and your heart are connected.
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 and block your airway. This can stop you from breathing for short periods, sometimes lasting for 10 seconds or more.
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 Puts a Strain on Your Heart
You might think of sleep apnea as just a problem with snoring or poor sleep. But the truth is, the trouble that happens when you stop breathing at night doesn’t stay confined to the night. It sends shockwaves through your entire body, and your heart takes the hardest hit. Understanding this connection is one of the most important steps you can take to protect your long-term health.
When your breathing stops or becomes very shallow during a sleep apnea episode, your body is essentially being starved of oxygen. Your brain sends out emergency signals because it’s panicking to get the air it needs.
This sets off a chain reaction. Your blood pressure spikes, and your heart has to start working in overdrive to pump what little oxygen-rich blood you have to your vital organs. Imagine being shaken awake over and over again, hundreds of times a night. That’s the kind of relentless stress untreated sleep apnea puts on your cardiovascular system every night.
The Direct Link to High Blood Pressure
One of the most direct and common consequences of this cycle is high blood pressure, or hypertension. Think of your blood vessels as hoses. When your oxygen levels repeatedly drop, it’s like someone is constantly tightening the nozzle on those hoses. This forces your heart to pump harder and harder to push blood through.
Over time, this constant state of high alert causes your “resting” blood pressure to stay high. Even during the day when you’re awake and breathing normally. This is why people with untreated sleep apnea often find it hard to control their blood pressure with medication alone. The root of the problem is happening while they sleep.
From a Weakened Heart to Heart Failure
When any muscle is forced to work too hard for too long, it can become enlarged and eventually begin to wear out. Your heart is no different. The non-stop strain of sleep apnea can cause the walls of your heart to thicken and the chambers to enlarge.
A heart that’s physically changed in this way becomes less efficient. It’s no longer the powerful, effective pump it once was. This condition is known as heart failure. Treating sleep apnea is a critical part of taking the load off a struggling heart and preventing this serious outcome.
The Danger of Irregular Heartbeats (Arrhythmias)
Your heart relies on a steady, coordinated electrical signal to keep its rhythm. The sudden drops in oxygen and the surge of stress hormones from sleep apnea can seriously scramble this electrical system. This can lead to arrhythmias, or irregular heartbeats.
One of the most common and dangerous arrhythmias linked to sleep apnea is atrial fibrillation (AFib). AFib is a condition where the upper chambers of the heart quiver chaotically instead of beating effectively. AFib significantly increases your risk of having a stroke because blood can pool and form clots in the uncoordinated heart.
The Increased Risk of Stroke
The damage from sleep apnea also extends directly to the blood vessels leading to your brain. The combination of high blood pressure and low oxygen can cause wear and tear on the delicate lining of these vessels. This can cause plaque buildup that narrows the arteries, a condition called atherosclerosis. It can also cause a vessel to weaken and burst.
If a clot forms and blocks one of these narrowed arteries, or if a vessel ruptures, a stroke happens. By damaging your vascular system, sleep apnea dramatically raises this risk. Especially for those who already have other concerns like diabetes or a family history of stroke.
Taking Control: How Treatment Protects Your Heart
Sleep apnea is a very treatable condition. Effectively managing your sleep apnea is one of the most powerful things you can do to protect your heart. The benefits are often felt quickly.
The most common and effective treatment is the use of a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine. While it can seem intimidating at first, a CPAP is a life-changing device. It works by gently blowing a steady stream of air through a mask you wear while you sleep. This air pressure acts like an invisible splint, holding your airway open so that your breathing never stops, and your oxygen levels never drop.
By using a CPAP consistently, you give your heart and blood vessels a chance to rest and recover. You’ll have better-controlled blood pressure and a lower risk of heart disease.
For some individuals, we may recommend other treatments. These can include custom-fitted oral appliances that reposition the jaw to keep the airway open. Surgical procedures can also help in specific cases. Dr. William Harper will help you find the best path forward based on your condition.
By taking your sleep apnea seriously and pursuing treatment, you are doing much more than just improving your sleep. You are making a direct and powerful investment in the health of your heart. If you suspect you might have sleep apnea, talk to Dr. Harper at (757) 600-6535.