Spread the Word: It Is Sleep Apnea Awareness Week
October 1 – 7 marks Sleep Apnea Awareness Week. The American Sleep Association sponsors the week to increase awareness of the dangers of untreated sleep apnea and to educate Americans about the symptoms, complications, diagnosis and treatments of sleep apnea.
What is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a common disorder in which you have one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while you sleep. According to the ASA’s website, complications of the serious disorder may include:
- Increased Risk of Motor Vehicle Accidents
- Increased Risk of Heart Attack
- Increased Risk of Stroke
- Decreased Physical Performance
- Decreased Mental Performance
- Increased Risk of Deadly Heart Rhythms
- Increased Difficulty Managing Diabetes
- Increased Difficulty Managing Blood Pressure
Find out more about sleep apnea from our previous posts mentioning the topic:
U.S. News & World Reports Seven Ways to Make Sleep Apnea Worse, NPR Reports Snoring is a Sleep Apnea Indicator, and Dr Drake Answers: How to wake up without hitting the snooze.
Do you have any questions about sleep apnea? Feel free to submit an inquiry for Sleep Better America’s sleep expert Dr. Drake.
Related Articles:
- Eat, Drink = Can’t Sleep
- U.S. News & World Reports Seven Ways to Make Sleep Apnea Worse
- Sleep Awareness Week & 2009 “Sleep In America” Findings
