If you have Sleep Apnoea, you’ll know how difficult it can be to get a good night sleep each night, but what you probably didn’t know is that this condition can affect your overall health in various ways. People who have sleep apnoea will often find that they have one or more other conditions that can seriously impact their overall health and wellbeing, so it is important to know about them before they take hold.

Weight Gain

If you are a bit overweight, you are more likely to develop problems like sleep apnoea than those who aren’t. You may also put on a bit more weight than your average person if you have sleep apnoea, so weight gain and sleep apnoea are often both found in many people. This is because people who are overweight may start to accumulate fat around their neck, which can in turn block their airways while they sleep. If you are a bit overweight and you are struggling to get a good night’s sleep each night, you may want to talk to your doctor about sleep apnoea so that you can develop a plan to help you manage both of these issues.

Mental Issues

Something that many people who have sleep apnoea experience issues with mental clarity and remembering things. A lot of people who have sleep apnoea may find that they have trouble remembering things in their waking lives because their brains are not getting the rest that they need to function properly. This also means that people who have sleep apnoea may become confused easier than those who don’t have a sleep condition. Sleep apnoea can interfere with your ability to solve problems and can stop you from thinking clearly, so you need to do something about it if you can identify these issues in yourself.

Respiratory Problems

Most people who have sleep apnoea will find that they have some sort of respiratory problems as well, which can cause an array of health issues on their own. If your breathing stops when you are sleeping, your heart rate will start to drop. But, when you wake up, your heart rate will start to go up to make up for the low oxygen levels. And if your body does not get enough oxygen to your vital organs, you may experience pain or inflammation in certain areas of your body. If you want to get on top of any inflammation in your body that may be caused by sleep apnoea, you should try CPAP therapy to help you breathe better each night. Using a CPAP mask or machine that is available at CPAP Direct can really help sleep apnoea sufferers because it will allow them to get the right amount of air into their airways while they sleep. So you won’t experience any interruptions to your sleep and you will be able to breathe properly every night.

Acid Reflux

There is much evidence to suggest that people who have sleep apnoea may be more likely to experience issues with acid reflux. Acid reflux or heartburn occurs when the contents of your stomach start to flow back upstream into your oesophagus, which causes an unpleasant burning sensation and a bad taste in your mouth. Acid reflux can often affect people while they are sleeping because when you recline, the contents of your stomach may rise up easier than when you are standing or sitting upright. This is because gravity can help to naturally keep the fluids from your stomach down and when you lie down flat gravity can no longer do its work. Sleeping in a slightly upright position can help people with sleep apnoea and acid reflux because it can make it easier to breathe and keep the acid in your stomach from rising up each night.

Weakened Immune System

Not getting enough sleep or the right type of sleep can have a serious effect on your overall health. If you have sleep apnoea, you may often spend your nights in and out of sleep, but you need to get a decent amount of rest each night because you can get sick if you don’t. Sleep helps your body to rest and reset itself, so it is a vital part of overall health and immune function. People who have a condition like sleep apnoea may find that their immune system may be weakened when they don’t get a good night’s sleep so they may be more prone to colds and the flu. This is why people who have sleep apnoea may experience a sore throat, nasal congestion and general sickness more often than those who don’t have the condition.