Although people most often associate sleep apnea with the irritation of snoring, there is a much more serious side of this disorder that should be discussed.

Many times, sleep apnea causes the sufferer to experience extreme daytime drowsiness due to poor sleep. In the most extreme cases, this can negatively affect working and driving habits. But there are even more severe possible effects of sleep apnea that cannot be ignored.

Sleep disordered breathing can be associated with a significant increase in the following:

• Cardiovascular disease
• Stroke
• High blood pressure
• Arrhythmias
• Diabetes
• Memory loss
• Depression
• Worsening of ADHD
• Seizures in both non-epileptic and epileptic persons
• Death

Extreme drowsiness due to poor and interrupted nighttime sleep can easily lead to an increased risk of driving accidents. It is estimated that between 5,000 and 6,000 fatal car crashes each year are attributed to drowsy drivers.