Should people joke about sleep apnea? Unfortunately, for people with sleep apnea, it’s no laughing matter.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), approximately 18 million people have sleep apnea, with up to 80 percent of people undiagnosed.

American Sleep Apnea Association defines sleep apnea in adults as a cessation of breath that lasts at least 10 seconds and in children as a cessation of breath that lasts the equivalent of two and a half missed breaths. This reduction in airflow can lower oxygen in the blood and lead to learning and memory problems, irritability, depression, accidents, and productivity problems at work or school.

People used to think sleep apnea only occurred in overweight people. But the truth is that all age groups, both sexes, and both large and small body types are affected.

If you have diabetes, sleep apnea can make it more challenging to manage your diabetes. This is because when your breathing pauses while you sleep, there is an increase in carbon dioxide in your blood. This leads to:

• Insulin resistance so that the body doesn’t use insulin effectively. This causes more sugar in the bloodstream leading to high blood sugars.
• Chronic elevated blood pressure.
• A higher incidence of heart problems or cardiovascular disease.
• Early morning headaches

What can be done about it?

If your case is mild, you may only need to make some lifestyle or behavioral changes, including losing weight, quitting smoking, and avoiding alcohol.

More severe apnea cases require more treatment using a continuous positive airway pressure device or dental appliances. In some cases, surgery might be an option.

Remember, sleep apnea can have detrimental consequences on your health and all aspects of your life, including work productivity and interpersonal issues.