From Snoring to Stroke: The Midlife Risk No One Talks About May 8, 2025 As we move into our 40s and 50s, it’s natural for our health priorities to shift. Many people start paying closer attention to things like blood pressure, cholesterol, and stress—often with the goal of keeping their heart healthy. But one health issue that tends to fly under the radar during this stage of life is sleep apnea—and it’s more closely linked to heart health than most of us realize. Sleep apnea is a condition where your breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep, often without you being aware of it. The most common type, obstructive sleep apnea, happens when the airway becomes blocked or collapses. This can cause loud snoring, gasping, or silent pauses in breathing that can last several seconds.1 These episodes may occur dozens or even hundreds of times a night, disturbing your rest and placing real stress on your heart. When your breathing stops, your oxygen levels drop. In response, your body sounds the alarm—your heart rate jumps, blood vessels tighten, and your blood pressure rises.2 Night after night, this repeated stress takes a toll. It can lead to high blood pressure, one of the most significant risk factors for heart attacks, stroke, and heart failure.3 Sleep apnea is also linked to irregular heart rhythms, like atrial fibrillation, which can further increase your risk of stroke.4 The tricky part is that many people with sleep apnea don’t even know they have it. And in midlife, it’s easy to brush off symptoms like fatigue, headaches, or a drop in energy as just part of getting older. But these could be signs that your heart is under pressure—literally. The connection between sleep apnea and heart disease is well documented. Research shows that untreated sleep apnea can double the risk of heart problems, and even raise the risk of sudden cardiac events.5 It can also make existing conditions harder to manage. For example, people with heart failure who also have sleep apnea are more likely to experience complications or need hospital care.6 The good news? Obstructive sleep apnea is treatable. Diagnosis often begins with a simple sleep study, either at home or in a clinic. The most effective treatment for sleep apnea is the use of a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine, which helps keep the airway open and significantly reduces breathing interruptions during sleep. While CPAP is used specifically to manage sleep apnea, untreated sleep apnea has been linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease.3,4 Making small lifestyle changes—such as losing excess weight, avoiding alcohol before bed, quitting smoking, and maintaining a consistent sleep routine—can also support overall health and improve sleep quality. At this stage in life, your heart is working hard to keep up with everything you throw at it—stress, responsibilities, and the natural changes that come with age. Giving it the rest it needs through better sleep isn’t just about improving how you feel in the morning—it’s about protecting your long-term health. If you’re snoring heavily, waking up tired, or dealing with unexplained high blood pressure, it might be time to speak to a doctor. How Sove CPAP Clinic Can Help Founded in 2008, Sove CPAP Clinic has grown to become a leading provider of respiratory and sleep services and products in Australia, with over 60 clinics nationwide. Our comprehensive clinical team includes Respiratory & Sleep Specialists, Sleep Technologists, and CPAP Consultants, ensuring that you receive comprehensive and personalised care. All medical procedures, including sleep studies and lung function testing, are bulk billed to all Australians, with minimal wait time. If you would like to speak to a Respiratory & Sleep Physician, book a bulk-billed sleep study, or seek advice for your sleep apnea, you can reach us at 1300 76 29 39 or info@thecpapclinic.com.au. ALWAYS FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS FOR USE. CPAP is used for Obstructive Sleep Apnea treatment. When considering whether a sleep study or CPAP is right for you, speak to your doctor. Medicare criteria and T&C’s apply. Citations 1. Mayo Clinic. “Obstructive Sleep Apnea - Symptoms and Causes.” Mayo Clinic, 14 July 2023, www.mayoclinic.org. 2. “Sleep Apnea Heart Rate Graph: Patterns and Insights.” BiologyInsights, 29 Apr. 2025, biologyinsights.com. Accessed 7 May 2025. 3. Heart Foundation. “Key Statistics: Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease | Heart Foundation.” Heartfoundation.org.au, 2024, www.heartfoundation.org.au. 4. Marulanda-Londoño, Erika, and Seemant Chaturvedi. “The Interplay between Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Atrial Fibrillation.” Frontiers in Neurology, vol. 8, 11 Dec. 2017, https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2017.00668. 5. Girardin Jean-Louis, et al. “Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Cardiovascular Disease: Role of the Metabolic Syndrome and Its Components.” Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, vol. 4, no. 3, 15 June 2008, p. 261, PMC2546461. 6. Abdullah, Abdullah, et al. “Relation of Obstructive Sleep Apnea to Risk of Hospitalization in Patients with Heart Failure and Preserved Ejection Fraction from the National Inpatient Sample.” The American Journal of Cardiology, vol. 122, no. 4, 1 Aug. 2018, pp. 612–615, PubMed, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjcard.2018.04.052. Accessed 9 Sept. 2024.
