Sleep Apnea Side Effects

The most common side effects of sleep apnea is the periodic pausing of the ability to breathe by the sufferer during sleeping periods. Sleep apnea is generally caused by an obstruction of the air ways that allow the person to breathe while sleeping. These obstructions can be either the surrounding tissue of the air way channels themselves, or another obstruction such as enlarged on inflamed glands.

While the primary effect of sleep apnea is the inability to breathe during brief periods while sleeping, it is the side effects that tend to draw the most attention and most discomfort for sleep apnea sufferers. Since sleep apnea is a condition that disrupts normal sleep patterns, often making it impossible for the sufferer to enjoy a full night of rest, the vast majority of sleep apnea side effects come as a result of fatigue.

Perhaps the most common sleep apnea side effect is drowsiness and sleepiness during normal waking hours. During bouts of sleep apnea, the sufferer is jarred awake, whether they know it or not, from not being able to breathe throughout the night. This jarring disrupts the normal sleep patterns, effectively all-but-negating the positive effects of restful sleep. Without proper rest at night, the sufferer seems to always lack focus, have severe fatigue, and is even prone to falling asleep when sitting normally, sometimes during conversation or while at work.

High blood pressure is another, perhaps more serious side effect of sleep apnea. Perhaps even more serious is the fact that sleep apnea sufferers are more than 30% more likely to suffer from a heart attack or stroke. Considering that many sleep apnea sufferers are already overweight or even obese, the likelihood of a stroke or heart attack is even further compounded.

Even though not seemingly as serious as other side effects, behavioral sleep apnea side effects can have a considerable negative impact on the sufferer’s lifestyle. Lack of adequate sleep can greatly affect normal mood and behavioral patterns, often leaving the sufferer to long bouts of withdrawal and feelings of remorse or guilt from their mental state. Sufferers have often reported declining productivity at work and diminished relationships with family and friends as a result. As before, since sleep apnea is often a result of obesity, many sufferers attempt to find solace in the comforts of large amounts of unhealthy foods or even drugs or alcohol, which further compounds the problem and only exacerbates the sleep apnea.