So in the spirit of Halloween and all things scary, here are six scary sleep apnea facts everyone should know about:
- People with sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly while they’re sleeping. This can happen hundreds of times per night, and often for a full minute or longer. This is often why people with sleep apnea will gasp or choke while sleeping.
- Untreated sleep apnea can lead to some pretty scary health complications, including heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, and depression
- Many people have no idea they have sleep apnea. Studies estimate nearly 80% of people who have this sleep disorder are undiagnosed.
- Sleep apnea sufferers are 2.5 times more likely to be the driver in a car accident than those who don’t have this sleep disorder
- Weight gain. Extra pounds raise your chances of getting sleep apnea, and the condition also makes it harder to slim down.
- Sleep loss can lead to irreversible brain cell damage.
Bonus Fact!: CPAP masks are breeding grounds for mold, bacteria, and viruses, which thrive in warm, moist environments. CPAP users who do NOT clean their supplies regularly, have an 18% higher risk of getting an infectious disease than those who do properly clean their supplies, typically as a result of dirty CPAP equipment.
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