Sleep Apnea Symptoms
A Short Guide To Sleep Apnea Symptoms
Diagnosing sleep apnea symptoms can be difficult because it is a problem that only occurs when a person is sleeping. In fact, sleep apnea sufferers who sleep alone may never identify what is making them so darn tired every day. Sleep apnea is a serious problem that can lead to heart problems and other serious issues. Sleep apnea is very common, and the National Institutes of Health estimates that up to 15 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea.
One of the most obvious sleep apnea symptoms is snoring, but this is not just average snoring. This would be a snore that is very loud and even sounds like a choking noise. It happens because sleep apnea affects the way a person breaths while they are asleep. People with sleep apnea take very shallow breaths even when they are in a deep sleep, as opposed to the nice, even, deep breaths that we usually associate with sound sleep.
The snoring or choking sound happens when the breathing becomes so shallow that it actually stops. The length of time this pause in breath lasts can vary from just a few seconds to a minute or more, which is extremely unhealthy. When breath returns, the person will snore loudly, and their sleep is very frequently interrupted every time this happens. Unfortunately, it can happen up to 20 or 30 times an hour. No wonder people with sleep apnea are exhausted all the time. They rarely get a good night’s sleep.
There are not many sleep apnea symptoms. Besides chronic and disruptive snoring, unexplained fatigue or excessive tiredness during the day can be major indicators that a person may have sleep apnea. It is thought that sleep apnea is one of the leading causes of extreme daytime sleepiness, which can make sufferers fall asleep at very odd times – when they are eating, talking, even while driving – clearly, not a safe practice.
Other symptoms that could signal sleep apnea include:
> Feeling tired upon waking and unrefreshed even after sleeping an entire night.
> Unexplained moodiness or irritability.
> Headaches first thing in the morning or during the night.
> Tossing and turning throughout the night.
> Waking up multiple times in the night, even from a deep sleep.
> Excessive sweating during the night for no apparent reason.
Sleep apnea can be treated, often with lifestyle changes like weight loss and going to sleep at the same time every night. Some people with sleep apnea use a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) system that promotes breathing during the night. Extreme cases may even require surgery, but this is determined by a doctor and frequently depends on what is causing the problem.
While sleep apnea is common in adults, it is rarely seen in children of any age. Sleep apnea can also be associated with other sleep disorders like restless leg syndrome and narcolepsy.