Symptoms of Sleep Apnea: Early Detection Matters

ByAgkidzone Staff

Updated: Oct 1, 2024

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Sleep apnea is a disorder where your breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. These interruptions can happen occasionally or even hundreds of times in a single night.

There are two main types of sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) occurs when your airway becomes blocked during sleep. Central sleep apnea (CSA) happens when your brain doesn't send proper signals to control breathing while you're asleep.

The primary concern with sleep apnea is that it reduces your oxygen intake, leading to other health issues. These problems can create a cycle that worsens your symptoms over time.

Snoring

One of the first signs of sleep apnea is loud snoring—or more accurately, it's often your partner who notices! Many people visit a doctor after their sleep-deprived significant other insists on it. Blocked airways cause you to snore loudly, resulting in poor sleep quality for both you and your bedmate. While snoring commonly accompanies sleep apnea, it doesn't always, so it's wise to get a sleep study done to confirm.

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Periodically Choking or Gasping While Sleeping

Not everyone who snores has sleep apnea. However, if you snore and find yourself gasping or choking for air during the night, that's a strong indication of the condition. This combination is your body's response to a struggle for oxygen. It might happen once or hundreds of times per night. Since gasping or choking can signal other health issues too, it's best to consult a doctor to determine the cause.

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Difficulty Falling or Staying Asleep

Insomnia, or trouble falling asleep, often goes hand in hand with issues like anxiety, depression, or physical problems such as sleep apnea. One theory suggests that sleep apnea causes insomnia because you're subconsciously aware that your breathing stops during the night, leading to anxiety. It's tough to fall asleep when your mind is racing. Even when you do drift off, sleep apnea can make it hard to stay asleep. The sound of your own snoring might wake you, or your brain might alert you that something's wrong.

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Restless Sleep

Getting a good night's sleep becomes nearly impossible with sleep apnea. Quality sleep involves cycling between REM and non-REM stages, but sleep apnea disrupts this process. You might not reach REM sleep at all. Additionally, decreased oxygen levels due to sleep apnea can cause other health problems, further degrading sleep quality. As a result, you wake up feeling exhausted.

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Waking Up with a Dry or Sore Throat

People with sleep apnea often wake up with a dry mouth or sore throat because they've been breathing through their mouth all night. Sleeping with your mouth open dries out the throat's mucous membranes, causing discomfort or pain that might last throughout the day. Also, snoring or choking during sleep can irritate the throat.

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Weight Gain

Poor sleep quality can lead to weight gain. When we don't get enough restful sleep, our bodies produce more of the hormone ghrelin, which tells us we're hungry. At the same time, we produce less leptin, the hormone that signals we're full. Lack of sleep can also affect insulin levels, making us insulin-resistant and causing the body to produce more insulin. These changes can make us crave unhealthy foods, leading to weight gain.

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Feeling Tired During the Day

Many symptoms of sleep apnea contribute to poor sleep quality, which in turn affects your daily life. You might wake up feeling like you haven't slept at all. Simple tasks become challenging as fatigue and weakness set in. Lower oxygen levels can cause health problems like heart disease and inflammation, adding to the tiredness associated with sleep apnea.

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Memory Problems

If you have sleep apnea, you might notice you're becoming more forgetful or scatterbrained. Lack of oxygen can damage brain cells related to memory and concentration. This is especially true for children with sleep apnea, who might struggle in school and display hyperactive or aggressive behavior. They could even be misdiagnosed with ADHD or other behavioral disorders.

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Mood Changes

Depression, irritability, and anxiety can result from sleep deprivation linked to sleep apnea. Chronic fatigue can develop into serious depression. You might feel irritable, anxious, or impatient because your mind can't focus on everyday tasks. Difficulty concentrating can lead to frustration, which might turn into brief but intense bouts of irritability.

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Reduced Interest in Sex

Testosterone, the hormone that boosts sex drive in both men and women, increases during sleep. If sleep apnea disrupts your sleep, testosterone levels might not rise as they should, leading to a decreased libido. In men, low testosterone can cause erectile dysfunction. Women might experience reduced sexual desire and sensation. Hormone replacement therapy isn't recommended in this case, as it can worsen sleep apnea.

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Morning Headaches

Waking up with headaches is common among sleep apnea sufferers. These headaches can cause constant, widespread pressure and typically last from 30 minutes to four hours, often occurring most mornings. Interestingly, the severity of sleep apnea doesn't seem to affect how bad the headaches are. They often respond well to CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) treatment.

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Concerned You Might Have Sleep Apnea?

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