Overall good health is important in every way as we all know, and good sleep is an essential part of that mix. What a number of people don’t know, however, is that disrupted sleep can affect your heart.

There are a few things that come together to make heart health a concern. If you have untreated sleep apnea, you likely have higher blood pressure. This means that momentary pauses in breathing can cause arrhythmias and heart failure. It turns out that sleep apnea occurs in about 50 percent of people with heart failure or atrial fibrillation. There is a strong association between sleep apnea and cardiac arrhythmia. Research also shows episodes of upper airway collapse in sleep apnea may trigger arrhythmia events.

While alarming, this is not entirely bad news. There are many steps you can take to improve your sleep hygiene. The most important step is to talk to a sleep specialist or have a sleep study performed to properly diagnose your situation.

It’s clear that untreated sleep apnea and heart issues together are problematic and can contribute to serious health conditions. No matter what your diagnoses are, Dr. Bez and his team understand. We can assess, recommend therapies, and/or appliances. Do the best thing for your heart. Schedule an appointment today.