Nocturna Sleep Lab

Snored to death: The symptoms and dangers of untreated sleep apnea

Paul G. Mathew, MD, FAAN, FAHS

"Sleep apnea is literally when a person stops breathing during sleep. As a result, the brain undergoes repeated moments of suffocating. In popular culture, snoring is viewed as funny, and people often laugh when a snoring person lets out a sudden explosive snort. The reality is this loud snort is often the person gasping for air as the brain is not getting enough oxygen. Sleep apnea interrupts sleep for both the person and their bed partner. In the case of a female patient whose husband refuses to get evaluated despite showing signs of sleep apnea, I often urge the patient to bring their husband with them to their next appointment with me. Whether it’s the patient or the spouse, I often hear the line “I have always slept this way.” When that happens, I explain that poor sleep is like alcohol. In our 20s drinking a six pack of beer would lead to a rough morning after, but the same six pack of beer in our 50s can require a week to fully recover. Likewise, recovering after an all nighter without sleep in our 20s tends to be much easier than trying to pull an all nighter in our 50s. That being said, younger brains tend to be more resilient with toxic situations, like alcohol consumption and sleep dysfunction, than the same brains later in life."

http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/snored-to-death-the-symptoms-and-dangers-of-untreated-sleep-apnea-2017021311159

Snored to death: The symptoms and dangers of untreated sleep apnea - Harvard Health Blog Snoring can be a sign of sleep apnea. Untreated, sleep apnea increases our risk for serious health conditions including stroke and heart attack.