Connection Between Heart Disease and Sleep Apnea

Winchester Neurological Consultants in Winchester, VA, helps patients by treating sleep disorders like sleep apnea. Sleep apnea wears on your heart health and if you haven't sought treatment we can help.

What is sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder where the patient stops breathing during sleep. Constricted airways cause the patient to snore loudly and gasp for air. Not everyone who snores has sleep apnea, but most people with sleep apnea snore loudly and often. This is obviously very stressful for the body to wake up repeatedly throughout a night of sleep, but did you know that sleep apnea can affect your heart health?

Sleep apnea and the heart

When breathing stops the body releases stress hormones, which can lead to heart disease over time. Obesity is a common cause of sleep apnea and plays an important part in heart disease as well. Fat deposits around the upper airways can lead to obstructed breathing, making you more likely to have sleep apnea. Maintaining a healthy weight only helps you have a healthy heart and healthier sleep.

Healthy habits

Healthy habits go a long way in managing sleep apnea. Your Winchester, VA, doctor will recommend limiting alcohol intake and quitting smoking. Smoking is notoriously addictive and some people seek treatment for sleep apnea and continue to smoke. This only puts more stress on your heart every single day. Most people can't quit on their own or on their first try, so don't get discouraged!
 

Both sleep apnea and obesity can each independently increase the risk of heart disease. If you aren't treating your sleep apnea you're putting your heart under extra stress each day. If you have sleep apnea come see Winchester Neurological Consultants for treatment. Contact us in Winchester, VA, at (540) 667-1828.

Winchester Neurological Consultants

Office Hours

DOORS OPEN AT 8:15AM

Monday:

8:30 am-5:00 pm

Tuesday:

8:30 am-5:00 pm

Wednesday:

8:30 am-5:00 pm

Thursday:

8:30 am-5:00 pm

Friday:

8:30 am-5:00 pm

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed