Three Significant Psychological Issues a Person with Sleep Apnea Faces

Psychological Impact of Sleep Apnea

There are a variety of psychological impacts possibly caused by sleep apnea. The primary problem with sleep apnea is that the condition does not allow the person to fully rest and recuperate. Due to this issue, there are any numbers of impacts that can affect the individual.

Being excessively tired can lead to reduced ability to concentrate as well as being less capable of logical reasoning. Exhaustion can also impairs judgment and create poor decision making. Being tired also impairs memory as well as reducing learning ability. These reductions in cognitive abilities can reduce one’s ability to perform at their jobs as well as reducing his or her quality of life.

Chronic sleepiness puts you at greater risk for depression. They are so closely linked that sleep specialists aren’t always sure which came first in their patients. “Sleep and mood affect each other,” says Verceles. “It’s not uncommon for people who don’t get enough sleep to be depressed or for people who are depressed to not sleep well enough” (Peri, 2013).

An individual suffering from sleep deprivation or from sleep apnea would be prone to many different issues such as depression or volatile mood as well increased issues resulting from poor performance. For someone being treated for this illness it may be necessary for psychological therapy to be implemented along with therapy for apnea.

References

Peri, C. (2013, April 30). Coping With Excessive Sleepiness. Retrieved from WebMD: http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/excessive-sleepiness-10/emotions-cognitive?page=2