More Than Just Snoring: The Hidden Health Risks of Untreated Sleep Apnea

We can easily dismiss snoring, saying it’s an annoyance but nothing more. But, something more serious could lurk behind that noise that keeps us awake and makes bedtime uncomfortable: obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

In this common sleep disorder, breathing repeatedly stops and starts during the night, preventing the body from getting the steady oxygen supply it needs. Because these interruptions can happen hundreds of times without fully waking, many people have no idea how disrupted their sleep really is.

Our team at Silicon Valley ENT & Sinus Center, led by Philip T. Ho, MD, FACS, focuses on how ear, nose, and throat issues can affect your overall health. That’s why restoring restful sleep by treating OSA is one of our specialties.

Left untreated, sleep apnea can affect our lives in myriad ways, making us feel fatigued the next day and causing unhealthy consequences.

What happens during sleep apnea?

Obstructive sleep apnea results when muscles and soft tissues in the throat relax during sleep, blocking the airway completely or at least partially. When this happens, breathing stops for several seconds before the brain senses low oxygen levels and briefly wakes the body to reopen the airway.

If this happens for at least 10 seconds 5 times or more in an hour, you have OSA. Deep, restful sleep is interrupted while oxygen levels fall, then rise again. This cycle stresses the cardiovascular system and other parts of the body.

Not everyone with sleep apnea snores, but loud snoring is an important warning sign, particularly when accompanied by gasping, choking, or pauses in breathing.

Your heart may feel the effects

One of the biggest concerns associated with untreated sleep apnea is its effect on cardiovascular health. Repeated drops in oxygen and frequent nighttime awakenings can temporarily increase heart rate and blood pressure.

Over time, untreated OSA is associated with a greater risk of high blood pressure, abnormal heart rhythms, heart disease, and stroke. For people with cardiovascular risk factors, addressing sleep apnea may be especially important for long-term health protection.

Sleep apnea can affect more than your sleep

A restless night doesn’t just leave you tired. Ongoing sleep disruption can interfere with concentration, memory, mood, and reaction time.

Someone with untreated sleep apnea may struggle to stay focused at work, feel unusually irritable, or have difficulty remembering everyday details. Excessive daytime sleepiness can also increase the risk of motor vehicle and workplace accidents.

In other words, the consequences can follow you well beyond the bedroom.

Metabolic health can be affected

Sleep apnea can affect your health in other ways, too. For instance, untreated OSA can increase your risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

Additionally, weight and sleep apnea can influence one another, creating a frustrating cycle. Excess weight can narrow the airway, while poor sleep can make it harder to eat healthfully, stay active, and manage weight.

Treating sleep apnea doesn’t replace healthy lifestyle habits, but it can be an important piece of the overall picture.

Don’t ignore warning signs

Snoring alone doesn’t necessarily mean someone has sleep apnea. However, certain symptoms deserve attention. These may include:

• Witnessed pauses in breathing
• Waking up gasping or choking
• Morning headaches
• Dry mouth
• Difficulty concentrating
• Mood swings
• Persistent daytime fatigue

If these symptoms sound familiar, we recommend scheduling an evaluation that considers sleep apnea as a possible cause. After a detailed review of your symptoms, Dr. Ho may recommend a home sleep study to confirm the diagnosis.

Treating obstructive sleep apnea

The good news is that effective treatments for OSA exist. Depending on its severity, Dr. Ho may prescribe positive airway pressure therapy, oral appliances, weight management, positional therapy, or other approaches.

Dr. Ho is also skilled in advanced treatments that may be more effective in selected cases. This could include in-office, injection-based treatments to minimize snoring or minimally invasive surgery to reduce OSA effects.