Doctor Claimed Shaquille O'Neal's Sleep Apnea Could Have Killed Him

Brush Stroke By: Vivek Nair Image credit: NBA and Twitter

[{"selector":"#anim-76fd706d-5387-4f71-8247-1f027d8749c8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-79825cb8-006f-4686-8805-f2e018e37413","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-323.52939%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9c6855bc-0eee-4be2-a535-54b5fcc12335","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-37e26946-d845-499c-999a-607de37855ce","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-123.34495%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8ac0aa73-cffa-4056-bd66-f797a65a47ee [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(16.11621066102861%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Lakers Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal has been one of the most dominant centers of all time thanks to his massive frame and physique.

[{"selector":"#anim-29594b29-0e6f-40ed-8e51-04c6c0091e8a [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(17.491281215977374%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-739b2128-b874-494a-9d7e-4f1710971c83","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d6cc059e-bd1b-44be-98f3-6d19c2c1ecef","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f415eba4-6680-41fb-aab1-c7a8edb1582d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] O'Neal is 7 feet tall and weighs around 300 to 350 pounds. However, Shaq's enormous physique could have killed him during his career.

[{"selector":"#anim-9d37f2d6-5a48-4fb0-a259-c061b0d0234e","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-841396d2-f886-4ed6-bfef-52cabd055bf6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f6034e18-95c8-48da-bb20-7829150d7d23","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-125.17483%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-34ef2bd2-3174-418b-945a-bc3c1126deb2 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(7.990234019173371%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] According to doctors, O'Neal was diagnosed with sleep apnea, which is caused by the excessive fat in one’s body as a result of an unhealthy lifestyle.

[{"selector":"#anim-18952793-ecca-4cad-8d06-4df37775266b","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-420467b0-9945-42f9-846a-bbcb6aca8ab2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1cbef982-9705-42f3-a04e-86d02ed2dbca","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-120.40817%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0f76141c-4552-439c-bce9-bf0b0ac46446 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-15.502929405039545%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] Sleep apnea is a disorder in which a person's breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep, leading to oxygen deprivation and other health problems.

[{"selector":"#anim-029027b5-0eff-41e4-8ec2-4524d742537d","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-07d82d53-6d06-4619-b9c8-906d2d2a6c79","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c9ae642f-5210-449b-8c3e-1d879fea8a5c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-120.27972%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fbf94338-0c23-4bff-8285-d16ff57d54cd [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(5.537108995217074%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] During an interview, O'Neal discussed how he used to snore loudly and wake up feeling exhausted, but didn't realize he had a serious medical condition until a doctor diagnosed him with sleep apnea.

[{"selector":"#anim-af1e5085-a0f2-4cd2-b6b0-a35868754115","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7f3e8922-d26a-448a-80b1-9e077b822ca7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-50f94f97-d634-4c87-8677-d7bf906dbdf0","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-122.37762%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-83dd42cd-e9dc-4370-8273-d0c770791049","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-4194301b-161a-46c7-9fad-01a0e9ebadb0 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(17.231486043553605%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] And the doctors warned Shaq that if he did not adopt a healthier lifestyle, it would be fatal and could even lead to death.

[{"selector":"#anim-bb11e008-e0cf-4659-869f-d1e54cfafb84","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(112.42423%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d0e0037e-12df-4900-a17b-7d8e6625d838","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-24c88e6b-4cf2-46d0-a2cb-e1126b502ff0","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-468c24bd-c2ca-46af-83b4-b6953e9f889b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e299071a-c9f4-4635-861a-a988c6b444b3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-118.21191%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1cc76acf-75a1-4927-b8bf-df82609b0fbf","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e555daad-fd65-42a0-8c16-bfd63bebf89e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-163.31877%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0c0fbf43-a114-41c7-b962-7d33eae1f50f [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(15.962890347031344%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] "They give you those certain words: 'Hey man, you got sleep apnea and sleep apnea can cause hypertension or strokes, so you could die'.I said 'What?' and they said 'You could die'." O'Neal explained.

[{"selector":"#anim-9a7b99d8-510c-4eca-a43d-2c2f0187d5fe [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(62.878906430195556%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-61d125ff-bb66-4384-8499-df3b16272a46","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2616360e-cb02-4962-ba0e-0ae321714a2c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 73.86831%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a0e3498e-88ce-4751-966c-960928cc748c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] O'Neal is currently in better shape than he ever was throughout his NBA career. He recently uploaded a video on Instagram of him working out and flaunting his massive physique.

Doctor Claimed Shaquille O'Neal's Sleep Apnea Could Have Killed Him

More Stories.

THANKS FOR READING