The Effects of Sleep Deprivation

If you have untreated sleep apnea, you are probably no stranger to sleep deprivation.

Do you constantly feel like you are tired or groggy? If so, obstructive sleep apnea could be robbing you of your sleep without you even knowing it! When it comes to sleep apnea, treatment is incredibly important. If left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to many different health concerns, one of which is sleep deprivation. While it is okay to go without enough sleep every once in awhile, chronic sleep deprivation has consequences. Here are a couple of the effects of chronic sleep deprivation:

#1. It increases your risk for accidents.

As far as public safety hazards out on the road are concerned, nothing is scarier or more widespread than sleep deprivation. Driving while sleep deprived is akin to driving while drunk, and according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there are an estimated 1,550 fatalities due to accidents involving fatigue every year.

#2. It impairs your cognitive abilities.

Learning and thinking all require proper sleep, and without it, many cognitive processes are affected. Sleep deprivation impairs your ability to concentrate, stay alert, problem solve and reason. When you are sleeping, your brain is compiling the day's memories in your mind, and if you don’t sleep, you’ll have a harder time remembering the day’s events.

These are just a couple of the many ways that sleep deprivation can affect you. Avoid the dangers of sleep deprivation from sleep apnea with our used BIPAP machines, and stay tuned for our next blog to learn more.