Sleep Apnea
What Is Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)?
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common sleep disorder where your airway repeatedly becomes blocked while you sleep. When this happens, breathing can stop for several seconds at a time, causing sudden drops in oxygen and repeated awakenings—often without you realizing it.
Over time, these constant interruptions can affect everything from your energy levels to your heart, weight, and brain health. Many people don't know they have OSA, but treating it can make a dramatic difference in overall health and quality of life.
Common signs of OSA
Loud snoring or pauses in breathing during sleep
(often noticed by a partner)
Waking up gasping or choking
Morning headaches or dry mouth
Daytime sleepiness, fatigue, or brain fog
Difficulty concentrating or feeling unrefreshed after a full night's sleep
Practical Implications
How OSA Affects
Your Heart
Your heart works hardest at night when sleep apnea goes untreated. Each time your breathing stops, oxygen levels fall and your body reacts with a surge of stress hormones. Over months and years, these changes can significantly impact heart health.
OSA is strongly linked to:
High blood pressure that becomes harder to control
Atrial fibrillation and other arrhythmias
Heart failure and coronary artery disease
Higher risk of heart attack and stroke
Because OSA puts such consistent strain on the cardiovascular system, diagnosing and treating sleep apnea is now considered an important part of protecting long-term heart health.
OSA and the
Obesity Crisis
Obesity and sleep apnea often go hand in hand. Extra weight—especially around the neck and upper airway—can make it easier for the airway to collapse during sleep. But what many people don't realize is that sleep apnea can also contribute to weight gain.
When sleep is disrupted:
Hormones that control hunger and fullness shift
Cravings increase
Metabolism slows
Energy for exercise decreases
This creates a cycle where poor sleep promotes weight gain, and weight gain makes sleep apnea worse. Breaking this cycle with effective sleep apnea treatment can support weight loss and improve overall metabolic health.
Neurocognitive
Health and OSA
Sleep apnea doesn't just affect the body—it affects the brain. When the brain repeatedly loses oxygen and never reaches deep, restorative sleep, thinking and mood can suffer.
OSA has been linked to:
Memory problems and difficulty retaining new information
Trouble focusing or concentrating during the day
Slower reaction times and increased risk of accidents
Mood changes, including irritability and symptoms of depression
Long-term untreated OSA may also increase the risk of cognitive decline as we age. Treating sleep apnea can help restore healthy sleep patterns and support clearer thinking, better mood, and improved daytime performance.
"I wasn't able to get any real sleep for over a year, but now I can sleep through the night and feel fully rested when I wake up. I never realized I was dealing with sleep apnea until I contacted Rest Assured."
Patti, Oregon