The sudden death recently of football great Reggie White from complications due to Sleep Apnea combined with an inflammatory condition shocked the sports world. It also points out the dangers of undiagnosed sleep disorders such as Sleep Apnea. Even when you know that you have a sleep disorder, there are still dangers that you have to be aware of. In this article we will be mainly concerned with Sleep Apnea. There are two basic types of Sleep Apnea and they are described in my article Sleep Apnea – An Overview . It also describes some of the risks of having Sleep Apnea but it does not hurt to repeat them here again.
Sleep apnea can result in or be accompanied by coronary artery disease, irregular heart rhythms, hypertension, stroke and depression, sexual dysfunction, learning and memory difficulties. You can also fall asleep at work, on the phone or driving – which could definitely be deadly! Lack of sleep can also make you cranky and irritable not to mention sick. And now doctors have found that lack of sleep may make you fat. Apparently, the lack of adequate sleep lowers the amount of Leptin, a protein in your blood that affects your appetite. Not enough sleep, the more Leptin in your system and the more you eat. Presto!- you gain weight.
If you think that I am trying to scare you, I am! The dangers from Sleep Apnea and other sleep disorders are serious. You risk your health and your life if you do not pay attention to possible symptoms. And just to refresh your memory here are a list of sleep apnea symptoms to look for in both adults and children:
Adults
Snoring – loud and persistent snoring!
Excessive sleepiness during the day
Complaints from bed partner that your snoring et al keep then awake at night
You feel like you are choking when you wake up.
Frequent acid reflux in your throat when you try to sleep
You find it hard to concentrate
You find that your have become forgetful lately
You and your family and friends have noticed that you exhibit personality changes and/or mood swings lately
You wake up sweating in the night and have a dry mouth in the morning
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