If you have untreated sleep apnea, you may think that the biggest risk to your health is feeling tired and sluggish during the day. But the truth is, sleep disorders cause more than just sleepiness. They can have a variety of dangerous side effects that can have negative effects on your physical as well as your mental health. Here are several little-known dangers of neglecting to treat sleep apnea, and what you can do to prevent them.

If you feel like you’ve been hearing more and more about sleep apnea lately, you’re not imagining things. Studies show that the number of Americans suffering from sleep disorders is steadily increasing, and researchers calculate that as many as 26% of adults have sleep apnea. Naturally, there are a couple of different theories as to why this is happening, but three in particular stand out.