Sleep apnea raises death risk by 46 percent?
On Yahoo News today it is reported that severe sleep apnea raises the risk of early death by as much as 46 percent. I think that is quite astounding (and shocking) if true, when you consider that the true number of sleep apnea sufferers numbers in the millions, including almost 18 million Americans. Also, compare that to the risk of early death faced by smokers and it is almost similar (smokers death risk seems to be around 50%).
Is sleep apnea really that bad?
While the report is quick to clarify that only people with severe sleep apnea face this risk, I think it should be taken positively to spur you to make changes to your health and lifestyle, if that is what is contributing to your sleep apnea. Most sleep apnea sufferers just let the matter be, and only rely on band-aids to see them through the night.
It’s worthwhile to keep a few things in mind though. Men are the ones most often affected by sleep apnea, and the most seriously affected group has always been middle aged and elderly men with weight issues. Other health problems then step in and complicate the issue, and this is what apparently makes sleep apnea a serious condition. Snoring is not sleep apnea by itself, but if you have frequent breathing interruptions during sleep, it indicates sleep apnea.
This early death risk warning is like the current H1N1 flu which is behaves like the ordinary flu, but may turn fatal in those who are already weak and generally not healthy to begin with. As the news report goes on to say, “Sleep apnea is closely linked with obesity, high blood pressure, heart failure and stroke, but researchers have not been able to clearly quantify how much more likely it makes a person to die.”
If being overweight is causing your sleep apnea to get worse, please do something about it today. Get involved in a proper fitness program, and watch your diet more carefully. Sleep apnea should not be regarded as a problem in and of itself alone, but often it is a manifestation of an overall (poor) health condition, and can oftentimes be improved, simply by making permanent positive changes to your health and lifestyle.
