3. High Blood Pressure: The Silent Stalker
Talk about a catch-22 situation. High blood pressure can be both a cause and a symptom of OSA. When your body realizes it’s not getting enough oxygen during sleep, it goes into panic mode, causing a spike in blood pressure. It’s as if your circulatory system shifts into overdrive, trying to deliver oxygen to all parts of the body.
Now here’s the peculiar part: Your body’s emergency reaction doesn’t stop when you wake up. The elevated blood pressure can carry into the daytime, becoming a constant, unwelcome companion. It’s your circulatory system still screaming, “Red alert, red alert!” long after the immediate danger has passed.
High blood pressure isn’t something you can feel, which makes it a particularly insidious symptom. Many people don’t even realize they have it until they get tested for unrelated issues. It’s like a silent spy, gathering intel on your body, waiting for the opportune moment to strike in the form of a cardiovascular event. (3)
