Sleep Apnea in Women: What Happens When This Sleep Disorder is Ignored For Long?

Due to hormonal changes, women may be more susceptible to sleep apnea during pregnancy, as well as during and after menopause.

Sleep apnea in women: Our bodies are renewed and revitalized by a restful, uninterrupted night’s sleep, which also acts as a barrier against a variety of health problems. Unfortunately, many people have a hard time getting enough sleep due to their busy schedules, sedentary lives, and irregular eating habits. Did you know that women have longer average sleep latency, which means it takes them longer to fall asleep? It has been found that women tend to have lower quality sleep than their male counterparts. Women are more vulnerable to microarousals or RERA (arousals related to respiratory events), which can lead to fragmented sleep.

Women may experience different sleep apnea symptoms than men. The following symptoms are more common in women:

• snoring loud
• dry tongue upon waking
• early in the day
• The inability to fall asleep, also known as insomnia.
• hypersomnia or excessive daytime sleepiness
• Inability to concentrate while awake

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SLEEP APNEA IS NOT TREATED?

Heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure risk factors can be exacerbated by untreated sleep apnea. Thought to occur twice as often in men, OSA, this gender disparity disappears as women approach menopause. In addition to the risks to your health and well-being (as well as that of your sleeping partner), undiagnosed and untreated sleep apnea can also pose a threat to the health of the general public.

Untreated sleep apnea makes you tired during the day, which can affect concentration and attention, or cause you to fall asleep accidentally, which can lead to mishaps at work or car accidents. According to a report in The New York Times, untreated sleep apnea has been shown to be the root cause of several train crashes in which train drivers were found to have fallen asleep at the wheel.

You may not know you have sleep apnea because you don’t snore or experience other typical symptoms. If you have any of these indications or if you have any risk factors for sleep apnea, it is crucial that you consult your healthcare professional.