Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
 Obstructive sleep apnea can be difficult to diagnose because it occurs while you sleep, but there are symptoms that can point to it. Being observant of these symptoms can be beneficial to your mental health and your physical health. Ignoring sleep apnea long term can be both frustrating in your daily tasks and dangerous to your health in the long term. If you have obstructive sleep apnea, you have options. We are happy to discuss these options and help you get a better night’s rest.
Symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea include:
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Snoring: Snoring is an indication that your airway is at least partially blocked. The blockage can be due to how air passes through your septum, by excessive tissue near your airway or inflamed tissue from allergies or illness. Not everyone who snores necessarily has sleep apnea, but it is an indication of some level of blockage. Obstructive sleep apnea is when the airway is cut off to the point that the person is not getting adequate oxygen due to the blockage.
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Silence followed by gasp: This is a symptom that a partner may catch. Obstructive sleep apnea is characterized by the person snoring, possibly even becoming silent because they can not get air in, followed by a large breath or gasp for air. The person is ceasing to breathe due to the blockage and then their brain sends an adrenaline rush to wake the person just enough to take a big breath.
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Waking feeling lousy: Obstructive sleep apnea prevents people from getting adequate sleep, and the result is waking feeling lousy. This may be characterized through one or multiple symptoms such as waking feeling exhausted, having a headache, feeling grumpy, or just finding that you are too tired to complete your normal daily tasks.
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Waking with dry mouth: Waking with a dried mouth is a good indication that you have been snoring. Snoring is not always a symptom of obstructive sleep apnea, but it can be.
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Mood swings or depression: Sleep apnea prevents you from getting the rest your body and brain need. As a result, it begins to weigh heavily on your mental state. You may feel more irritable, quick to anger, extreme fatigue, and these symptoms can lead to larger depression issues.
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Weight gain: Losing sleep and having your body hit with adrenaline multiple times a night can be huge factors in stress. Stress and fatigue often lead to stress eating. You may be excessively eating as a body’s response to try to feel better. Excessive eating mixed with lack of desire to be active can be a setup to gain weight. |
If you are experiencing some or many of these symptoms, we can help. We want to help you determine what is causing the closure of your airway and then work to help it be open. We offer multiple options based on your needs. A CPAP forced air is not the only answer. Oral appliances can be an easy and convenient answer. |
