If you've struggled with symptoms of sleep apnea, your loved ones may have suggested that you talk with your physician about a sleep study. Sleep studies are an important part of diagnosing and properly treating sleep apnea, and preliminary studies can even be completed in your own home. It's important that you seek sleep apnea treatment right away, and for good reason. Here's a look at some of the reasons why you shouldn't ignore this important treatment.
Sleep Disruptions
Even if you don't realize it, sleep apnea disrupts your sleep repeatedly throughout the night. This leads to insufficient rest and chronic fatigue, which can interfere with your quality of life. You'll feel as though you're never really rested, may have poor concentration and can even struggle with mood swings as a result of insufficient sleep. In fact, sleep disruptions and the resulting fatigue often lead to car accidents and injuries as well.
Chronic Weight Gain
Your body depends on a consistent, sufficient sleep cycle to balance the hormone signals for every aspect of bodily function. Some of those hormones include the ones that trigger hunger and satisfaction. Insufficient sleep makes it harder for your body to regulate those hormone triggers that indicate hunger, which can lead to weight gain. That weight gain can then worsen your sleep apnea symptoms, which creates a cycle of worsening conditions.
Cardiovascular Issues
Many people are unaware of the fact that untreated sleep apnea can actually lead to chronic high blood pressure and even damage to your heart tissue. Left unaddressed, this can lead to serious cardiac health risks and the potential for a heart attack.
Type 2 Diabetes
Along with the weight gain that can come from sleep apnea issues, type 2 diabetes is also common. Because insulin resistance typically develops as a result of obesity, it's important to recognize the correlation between untreated sleep apnea, the resulting weight gain, and your risk of type 2 diabetes. Since untreated diabetes can lead to a wide range of complications, you should address your sleep apnea concerns as soon as possible to mitigate this risk.
As you can see, sleep apnea disrupts far more than just your sleep. If you have any reason to believe that you're suffering from sleep apnea, it's in your best interest to talk with a doctor today. They can schedule the necessary sleep study to help you get the care that you need to protect your long-term health.
Share10 October 2022
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