Why is Obstructive Sleep Apnea a serious problem?

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can lead to abrupt reductions in your blood oxygen saturation. Your brain responds to this lack of oxygen by alerting your body. This causes you to briefly awake from sleep and normal breathing resumes. This pattern can occur hundreds of times in one night and you will most likely be unaware that it is happening. The result is constantly disrupted sleep the may leave you feeling tired and irritable throughout the day. If you don’t get OSA treated, your risk of hypertension, stroke, heart disease, diabetes, sexual dysfunction, and depression may increase.