What do sleep apnea and heart disease have in common? More than you might think. The symptoms of sleep apnea put strain on the heart and body, and there is a demonstrated connection between the two conditions.

How does sleep apnea affect your rest? 

Sleep apnea occurs when there is a pause in breathing while you sleep.  You momentarily stop breathing, causing you to wake up.  This disturbance can happen as much as 30 times per hour and sometimes more.  Excessive, loud snoring and being overweight are both common denominators in sleep apnea.

So what is having sleep apnea actually like? You fall asleep, hoping to have a restful night.  You abruptly wake up because your airway closes, valuable oxygen is lost and your brain thinks you're suffocating.  Waking up allows your throat muslces to tighten and your airway to open up.  Imagine doing this as much as 300 times per night. 

Sleep apnea and heart problems

There is strong evidence of a correlation between sleep apnea and cardiovascular disease, according to Donna Arnett, chair and professor of epidemiology at the School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham. In fact, people with sleep apnea are 5x more likely to die of heart disease. 

The stress of this oxygen desaturation and the abrupt feeling of suffocation cause your heart to pump harder and your blood to thicken, which in turn, could lead to a heart attack or stroke. 

Plus, sleep deprivation and fatigue result in a constant strain on the heart and the entire body. 

What can be done?

First and foremost, it is important to properly diagnose sleep apnea. A sleep study, or polysomnogram, will accurately diagnose if you have a sleep disorder and, if so, the type of disorder. 

Treatment for sleep apnea consists of the use of continuous positive airway pressure therapy.  CPAP keeps the airway open by providing a continuous stream of air through a mask that is worn during sleep. Use of a CPAP machine can almost completely eliminate the symptoms of sleep apnea, including reducing blood pressure. 

Lifestyle changes, such as weight reduction, lessen the risk factors for sleep apnea. 

To learn more about this possibly lifesaving treatment, contact us, or learn about how to schedule a sleep study by downloading our guide below. 

Photo Credit: Tim Samoff