Beyond the Snore: How Sleep Apnea Quietly Harms Your Heart

Snoring is often dismissed as an annoying but harmless nighttime habit. However, loud, chronic snoring is a warning sign of sleep apnea. But this common sleep disorder does more than disrupt rest; it silently places enormous strain on the heart and cardiovascular system.

Dr. Philip T. Ho and his team at Silicon Valley ENT & Sinus Center in Los Gatos, California, specialize in treating ear, nose, and throat conditions, including obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

If you have OSA, your top priority may be solving the snoring, and that’s a worthy goal. But treating OSA can also have a positive impact on your heart. Here’s more from Dr. Ho and his team on how that occurs.

Understanding sleep apnea

Sleep apnea, one of the most common sleep disorders, is a condition in which breathing stops and starts over and over during sleep. These interruptions can last from a few seconds to over a minute and may occur dozens or even hundreds of times per night.

OSA occurs when the muscles supporting the soft palate, tongue, and walls of the throat overly relax during sleep. This temporarily obstructs the airway. Each pause deprives the body of oxygen, forcing it into a constant state of stress, and your heart pays the price. 

Excess weight, chronic nasal congestion, and enlarged tonsils or adenoids can increase the risk of OSA.

The oxygen-starvation effect on your heart

When breathing stops, blood oxygen levels drop. In response, the body releases stress hormones like adrenaline to jolt you back into breathing.

This repeated cycle of oxygen deprivation and stress activation causes blood vessels to constrict and blood pressure to spike.

The impacts on your heart health include:

Increased risk of high blood pressure

Over time, persistently high blood pressure becomes a significant risk factor for heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure.

People with untreated sleep apnea are far more likely to develop hypertension (high blood pressure). Unlike daytime blood pressure issues, sleep-apnea-related hypertension is especially dangerous because it occurs during rest.

This is when the cardiovascular system should be recovering. When it occurs night after night, it prevents the heart from relaxing, accelerating long-term damage.

Strain on the heart muscle

Sleep apnea forces the heart to work harder than it usually would during sleep. The repeated drops in oxygen make it difficult for the heart to pump efficiently.

OSA particularly affects the right side of the heart, which sends blood to the lungs. Over time, this strain can lead to an enlarged heart, irregular heart rhythms, and, eventually, heart failure.

Link to irregular heartbeats

Abnormal heart rhythms, such as atrial fibrillation, are strongly associated with sleep apnea. Oxygen fluctuations and stress hormone surges interfere with the heart’s electrical system, increasing the likelihood of dangerous arrhythmias.

These rhythm disturbances raise the risk of blood clots, stroke, and sudden cardiac events.

Inflammation and plaque buildup

Chronic sleep apnea promotes inflammation throughout the body. Inflammation damages blood vessel walls, making it easier for cholesterol and plaque to build up.

This process, known as atherosclerosis, narrows the arteries and increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes, often without obvious early symptoms.

Treatment makes a difference

The cardiovascular risks of sleep apnea are serious, but they are not inevitable. Treatments such as CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) therapy, oral appliances, weight management, and lifestyle changes can dramatically reduce nighttime breathing interruptions.

Dr. Ho also offers advanced treatments, such as snoreplasty and other minimally invasive in-office therapies, to help prevent airway obstruction. He can also treat underlying conditions that may trigger OSA, such as chronic sinus congestion.

When sleep apnea is adequately managed, blood pressure often improves, heart rhythm stabilizes, and overall cardiovascular risk declines.

If you have OSA or think you might, schedule an appointment with Dr. Ho at Silicon Valley ENT & Sinus Center today. Call the office or request an appointment online.