--- title: The Deadly Health Consequences of Sleep Apnea description: Sleep apnea does just affect the way you sleep. It puts you at greater risk of heart disease, diabetes, dementia, and a host of other health problems. image: https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/hubfs/half_of_heart_patients_have_sleep_apnea.jpg --- **[![ASMS_logo_shadow_round](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/hs-fs/hubfs/ASMS_logo_shadow_round.png?width=200&name=ASMS_logo_shadow_round.png "ASMS_logo_shadow_round")](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/)** **Advanced Sleep Medicine Services, Inc.** The Sleep Experts`®` (877) 775-3377 ## Sleep Better, Live Better Blog ### *We believe that education is the first step to finding better sleep. Our articles educate people on sleep news, sleep disorders, and sleep care to help them achieve better health and live better lives. * *Thanks for joining the conversation.* ## [The Deadly Health Consequences of Sleep Apnea](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/deadly-health-consequences-of-sleep-apnea) Posted by [Julia Steele Rodriguez](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/author/julia-steele-rodriguez) Find me on: [Facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/julia.steele818) [LinkedIn](http://www.linkedin.com/in/juliasteele) [Twitter ](https://twitter.com/juliasteelerod) Aug 20, 2015 8:00:00 AM ![half_of_heart_patients_have_sleep_apnea](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/hs-fs/hubfs/half_of_heart_patients_have_sleep_apnea.jpg?width=353&name=half_of_heart_patients_have_sleep_apnea.jpg) Sleep apnea is a serious issue. If you don't think so already, this should convince you: an 18-year study found that people with sleep apnea were 3 times more likely to die during the study than healthy people, from any cause1.  **That's right: sleep apnea patients die at 3x the rate of normal sleepers.** Sleep apnea is often labeled as a sleep disorder...but that doesn't give a full picture of how this condition affects your body and overall health. Learn about the real--and serious--consequences of sleep apnea. # Health Effects of Sleep Apnea ## What parts of the body does sleep apnea affect?  Sleep apnea takes a toll on:  - **Your cardiovascular system**, leading to higher blood pressure and a greater risk of [heart disease](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/how-sleep-apnea-damages-heart-health) - **Your brain,** by increasing you risk of stroke and [Alzheimers](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/sleep-apnea-and-dementia-how-sleeping-saves-your-brain) and decreasing your concentration and memory - **Your emotions**, making you moodier, [less emotionally cognizant](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/poor-sleep-lowers-your-emotional-iq), and more [prone to depression](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/sleep-apnea-increases-depression-risk-in-men) - **Your metabolic system,** by increasing your risk of [diabetes](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/sleep-apnea-leads-to-increased-risk-of-diabetes) - **Your sexual function**, by increasing risk of [sexual dysfunction](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/erectile-dysfunction-and-sleep-apnea) and [lowering libido](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/sufficient-sleep-improves-libido-in-women)  - **Your weight**, by making you [more prone to overeating](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/one-trick-for-not-overeating-this-holiday-get-more-sleep) and putting on extra pounds - **Your accident risk, ** by making it more likely that you'll be in an [automobile crash](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/driving-drowsy-vs-driving-drunk) ## What diseases and conditions does sleep apnea cause?  Sleep apnea puts you at greater risk of:  - **Heart disease: **50% or more** **of cardiovascular patients have sleep apnea, compared to less than 5% in the overall population2-3 - **High blood pressure: **People with moderate to severe sleep apnea are **3 times as likely** to have high blood pressure as their healthy counterparts4 - **Stroke: **65% of stroke patients have sleep apnea5 - **Diabetes:** People with moderate to severe sleep apnea are **over twice as likely **to be diagnosed with diabetes6 - **Dementia: **People with sleep apnea experience the onset of dementia **10 years earlier** than normal sleepers (at 77 versus 90 years old)7 - ****Sexual dysfunction: ****Men with [erectile dysufnction](http://www.sleepdr.com/blog/erectile-dysfunction-and-sleep-apnea) are more than **twice as likely** as their normal counterparts to have sleep apnea8 And that isn't it. For more statistics about how sleep apnea is correlated to a host of other health problems, click on the button below.  [![Learn about Health Effects of Sleep Apnea](https://hubspot-no-cache-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/299691/d7146fbc-6fbc-47ea-8aa9-8f62be4be643.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/299691/d7146fbc-6fbc-47ea-8aa9-8f62be4be643) ## A new definition of sleep apnea Sleep apnea is often portrayed, first and foremost, as a sleep disorder--but this can be misleading. Sleep apnea doesn't just change the way you sleep and your daytime concentration. Its health effects extend to the entire body and are much more serious than a few sleepless nights. **It's more realistic to look at sleep apnea as a serious chronic health condition.** Like high cholesterol, heart disease, or severe obesity, sleep apnea takes a constant toll on your health and can degrade your quality of life. **Sleep apnea can absolutely be fatal if it is left untreated.** Fortunately, unlike some of these other conditions, sleep apnea can be effectively and immediately treated, with almost immediate improvements in the resulting health consequences. Use of a [PAP machine ](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/pap-therapy)stops and even reverses the health effects of sleep apnea and can improve your sleep and your health.  Just like you wouldn't ignore the threat of heart disease, it's important not to overlook sleep apnea. [Inform yourself](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/health-effects-of-sleep-apnea) about this health problem. If you're [at risk](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/sleep-apnea-causes-and-risk-factors) or match any of the [symptoms](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/sleep-apnea-symptoms), [get tested](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/sleep-studies). If you have sleep apnea, make sure you're getting the [treatment](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/pap-therapy) you need. Or if you have any questions about sleep apnea, [contact us](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/contact) so we can help you sleep better and live better.  [![Request sleep study](https://hubspot-no-cache-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/299691/3475ae5e-54f4-4d7d-917e-de48489f3a90.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/299691/3475ae5e-54f4-4d7d-917e-de48489f3a90) Sources (for an even more comprehensive look at statistics and studies describing the comorbities of sleep apnea, see our [health effects](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/health-effects-of-sleep-apnea) page):  [1) Young, Terry Ph.D. et al. "Sleep Disordered Breathing and Mortality: Eighteen-Year Follow-up of the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort." *Journal Sleep. *](http://www.journalsleep.org/ViewAbstract.aspx?pid=27213) 2[) Kasai, Takatoshi, M.D., Ph.D. et al. "Contemporary Reviews in Cardiovascular Medicine." *Circulation* Journal from the American Heart Association. ](http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/126/12/1495.full#ref-3) 3[) Javaheri, S. M.D. et al. "Sleep Apnea in 81 Ambulatory Male Patients with Stable Heart Failure." *Circulation* Journal from the American Heart Association.](http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/97/21/2154.short) 4) [Peppared, Paul E. Ph.D. et al. "Prospective Study of the Association between Sleep-Disordered Breathing and Hypertension." *The New England Journal of Medicine.*](http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM200005113421901) 5) [Dyken, Mark E. M.D. et al. "Investigating the Relationship Between Stroke and Obstructive Sleep Apnea." *Stroke* Journal from the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association.](http://stroke.ahajournals.org/content/27/3/401.full) 6) [Reichmuth, Kevin J et al. "Association of Sleep Apnea and Type II Diabetes." *American Thoractic Society Journals.*](http://www.atsjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1164/rccm.200504-637OC#.Va_0oqRVikp) 7) [Osorio, Ricardo S. et al. "Sleep-disordered breathing advances cognitive decline in the elderly." *Neurology.*](http://www.neurology.org/content/early/2015/04/15/WNL.0000000000001566) 8) [Berookhim, Boback et al. "Erectile dysfunction is independently associated with sleep apnea in a large population of middle-aged men." *The Journal of Urology.*](http://www.jurology.com/article/S0022-5347(11)01393-0/fulltext) Topics: [Sleep Apnea](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/sleep-apnea) ## Share this blog post: [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2F299691.hs-sites-na2.com%2Fblog%2Fdeadly-health-consequences-of-sleep-apnea%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on LinkedIn](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/linkedin-24x24.png)](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2F299691.hs-sites-na2.com%2Fblog%2Fdeadly-health-consequences-of-sleep-apnea%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dlinkedin) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2F299691.hs-sites-na2.com%2Fblog%2Fdeadly-health-consequences-of-sleep-apnea%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2F299691.hs-sites-na2.com%2Fblog%2Fdeadly-health-consequences-of-sleep-apnea%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=The%20Deadly%20Health%20Consequences%20of%20Sleep%20Apnea) [![Share on Pinterest](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/pinterest-24x24.png)](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https%3A%2F%2F299691.hs-sites-na2.com%2Fblog%2Fdeadly-health-consequences-of-sleep-apnea%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dpinterest&media=) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2F299691.hs-sites-na2.com%2Fblog%2Fdeadly-health-consequences-of-sleep-apnea%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2F299691.hs-sites-na2.com%2Fblog%2Fdeadly-health-consequences-of-sleep-apnea%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ### Subscribe to Email Updates Search our blog Search ### Posts by Topic - [Children and Sleep (1)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/children-and-sleep) - [Coffee (1)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/coffee) - [CPAP Alternatives (2)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/cpap-alternatives) - [CPAP Supplies (9)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/cpap-supplies) - [CPAP Treatment (25)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/cpap-treatment) - [Diabetes (2)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/diabetes) - [Doctor's Opinion (4)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/doctors-opinion) - [Economics of Sleep Medicine (15)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/economics-of-sleep-medicine) - [Good Sleep Habits (59)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/good-sleep-habits) - [Health Insurance (20)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/health-insurance) - [Heart Disease (2)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/heart-disease) - [Insomnia (2)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/insomnia) - [Job-Related Sleep Disorders (7)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/job-related-sleep-disorders) - [Kids and Sleep (20)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/kids-and-sleep) - [Narcolepsy (1)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/narcolepsy) - [Preparing for your sleep study (2)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/preparing-for-your-sleep-study) - [Sex and Sleep (7)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/sex-and-sleep) - [Sleep and Exercise (1)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/sleep-and-exercise) - [Sleep and Society (41)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/sleep-and-society) - [Sleep Apnea (60)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/sleep-apnea) - [Sleep Business (3)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/sleep-business) - [Sleep Disorders (30)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/sleep-disorders) - [Sleep Studies (30)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/sleep-studies) - [Telemedicine (1)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/telemedicine) - [Treating Sleep Apnea (29)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/treating-sleep-apnea) - [Women and Sleep (14)](https://299691.hs-sites-na2.com/blog/topic/women-and-sleep) ### Most viewed posts ### Recent Posts **Contact Us:** Advanced Sleep Medicine Services, Inc. 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