Sleep Apnea and Stroke Risk: Warning Signs You Shouldn't Ignore
Could Sleep Apnea Be Raising Your Stroke Risk? The Nighttime Problem You Shouldn’t Ignore Have you ever woken up feeling as if you barely slept, even though you were in bed for seven or eight hours? Maybe someone has complained about your loud snoring. Maybe you wake up with a dry mouth or headache. Or perhaps your partner has noticed that you sometimes stop breathing, gasp, or suddenly snort during the night. It is easy to dismiss these things as ordinary sleep problems. But sometimes, your nighttime breathing deserves more attention. Sleep apnea can repeatedly interrupt your breathing while you sleep, and untreated sleep apnea is associated with an increased risk of stroke and other cardiovascular problems. That doesn't mean every person who snores has sleep apnea , or that sleep apnea automatically leads to a stroke. But it does mean persistent warning signs are worth taking seriously. What happens to your body when breathing is repeatedly interrupted during sleep? What...