Boston Celtics Basketball Player Shaquille O’Neal Gets Help for His Sleep Apnea

NBA basketball player Shaquille O’Neal is a big man. He’s 7’1” and weighs over 300 pounds. Just based on his physical size, he is a likely candidate for snoring and even sleep apnea. His girl friend knows he snores. She’s the one who would nudge him to roll over. But when she noticed that he stopped breathing one night, she took action. Harvard Medical School sponsored a sleep apnea study and Shaq was evaluated in early May 2011.

According to the Harvard HEALTHbeat, “Without realizing it, people with sleep apnea briefly stop breathing or breathe very shallowly many times during the night….The consequences include bad sleep and all that can come from that: grogginess when you’re awake, an inability to concentrate, depression, accidents. Numerous studies have linked sleep apnea to various cardiovascular problems, including high blood pressure, stroke, and heart arrhythmias. Uneven breathing lowers oxygen levels in the blood, which can trigger aspects of the flight-or-fight response that boosts blood pressure. The herky-jerky breathing of sleep apnea may overtax the heart.” 

Shaq caught his sleep apnea in time. And, now that he’s using a CPAP, he’s eating better, sleeping better, and feeling better. Watch the Harvard Medical School video about his experience.