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Daytime and Nighttime Sleep Apnea Symptoms |
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Monday, 07 May 2007 |
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If you suspect you have sleep apnea, it is good to know the common sleep apnea symptoms to see if you should see a doctor and possibly go to a sleep center for a sleep study. Sleep apnea symptoms are divided roughly into two varieties - nighttime sleep apnea symptoms and daytime sleep apnea symptoms. At night, these symptoms are often hard for the sleep apnea sufferer to detect, and it may be helpful to quiz your spouse to determine if you are exhibiting these sleep apnea symptoms.
Nighttime sleep apnea symptoms include apnea episodes where breathing ceases. These may cause the sufferer to wake up suddenly, often feeling out of breath or in a sweat. Sleep apnea symptoms at night also include periods of total silence during sleep, followed by a waking episode.The sleep apnea symptom most associated with the disorder is loud snoring, indicating a blockage of the airway. This is often the symptom that alerts a partner to the condition, and though some snoring is not related to sleep apnea, most patients with sleep apnea exhibit some level of snoring. During the day, sleep apnea symptoms are usually a result of the interrupted and incomplete sleep. These include irritability, depression, and feelings of fatigue. Many sleep apnea sufferers find that they are falling asleep during the day at inappropriate times, like during meetings or on their commute. This can be a dangerous sleep apnea symptom, especially if the sufferer is behind the wheel when this overwhelming urge to sleep hits. Most daytime sleep apnea symptoms manifest because the sufferer’s sleep is interrupted so that they never enter the most restful phase of the sleep cycle, rapid eye movement, or REM sleep. Weight gain, unexplained drowsiness, and confusion are often other signals of a sleep apnea problem. |
