Signs and Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
Health

Signs and Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a type of sleep disorder that is one of the most serious types. Around 5 to 10% of adults are affected by sleep apnea. In this disorder, the affected person faces difficulty in breathing normally while asleep. This interruption in breathing occurs repeatedly causing interrupted and disturbed sleep that affects the wellbeing of the person. The main reason of sleep apnea is the insufficient oxygen the brain and the body gets.

There are essentially two main types of sleep apnea, namely obstructive and central sleep apnea.

In obstructive sleep apnea, there is a blockage in the airway that occurs when the soft tissue behind the throat collapses. Obstructive sleep apnea is the more common type of sleep apnea.

However, in central sleep apnea, the brain fails to send the muscles the signal to breathe. This happens when there is an instability in the respiratory control center.

Sleep apnea can cause serious health issues that include heart diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke. Hence, it is important to know as many signs and symptoms of sleep apnea as possible to get it diagnosed and get timely and appropriate treatment for it. Some signs and symptoms of severe sleep apnea adults have been mentioned below:

Snoring – One of the most common signs of sleep apnea is snoring. Though most people snore while sleeping, in sleep apnea, the snoring can be very loud and can end up waking the person who is snoring. Those who snore can get the root cause of their snoring checked to know if they have sleep apnea or not.

Gasping and night walking – People who suffer from severe sleep apnea may often wake up in the middle of their sleep because of the shortage of breath resulting in them gasping for air. They may even find themselves sleep walking at night.

Excessive sleepiness during the day – Most people who suffer from sleep apnea often find themselves fighting excessive sleepiness during the day. This can be dangerous for them as they may fall asleep while driving or operating some type of heavy machinery.

Mood swings – The body feels extremely tired and distressed when a person hasn’t slept well. One of the signs of sleep apnea can be excessive mood swings or mood disorders that occur due to the lack of sleep caused by sleep apnea.

Lack of concentration – Lack of sleep leads to a lack of concentration. When there is constant tiredness due lack of sleep, it may affect the concentration of the person as well.

Headache – Another sign of sleep apnea could be constant headache as well that is cause due to lack of sleep. People often experience headaches upon waking up as a symptom of sleep apnea.

Dry mouth – Sleep apnea causes a person to wake up with a dry mouth and sore throat. Dry mouth and sore throat is commonly seen in people who are suffering from sleep apnea.

It is important to visit the doctor and get a proper diagnosis done on instances of more than one signs and symptoms of sleep apnea. Getting the necessary treatment is important for sleep apnea as it may lead to serial health issues when left untreated.