Sleep Apnea Symptoms: What Are They?
Sleep apnea is a general term for breathing problems that happen when we sleep. Someone with sleep apnea may stop breathing as many as 100 times per hour.
Some of the common signs are:
* Excessive daytime sleepiness. If you have sleep apnea your sleep is very fragmented and you do not get the refreshing sleep you need to function properly the next day. Excessive daytime sleepiness can cause problems both at work and socially and can even contribute to auto accidents.
* Loud snoring. Snoring is a sign of an obstruction somewhere in your upper airway. Loud snoring is a cause for nonrestorative sleep that can lead to excessive daytime sleepiness.
* Periods of irregular breathing. Your bedpartner may notice that you have periods of time in which you seem to not be breathing. They may nudge you for fear you won’t start breathing again by yourself. Or you may gasp for air at the end of the pauses without any help from them.
* Restless sleep. When you have periods of apnea it will cause you to gasp for air, resulting in alot of tossing and turning.
* Difficulty concentrating. Lack of good, restorative sleep will keep you from being able to concentrate on your duties during the day.
* Depression or irritability. It is understandable that anyone who is sleep deprived, whether from sleep apnea or other circumstances, will become depressed and irritable over time. Lack of sleep is not good for us.
* Morning headaches. Sleep apnea will cause oxygen levels to fall during sleep. Oxygen deprivation during the night will cause headaches in the morning.
* High blood pressure. Untreated sleep apnea can be an indicator for high blood pressure. But just because your blood pressure isn’t high during the day doesn’t mean it doesn’t get high at night when you have sleep apnea. If you are able and suspect you have sleep apnea, take your blood pressure at night before you go to bed and then again when you wake up in the morning.
Many people are not even aware that they have sleep apnea. It is usually the bed partner that notices the signs first.
