5 common signs of sleep apnea you should know about

Responsible for health risks as wide-ranging as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease and obesity, sleep apnea is not to be taken lightly.  The most common sleep disorder, affecting millions of people around the world is known as Obstructive Sleep Apnea or OSA.

Characterized by the periodic cessation of breathing during sleep due to the blockage of the airway, OSA is an extremely serious health condition. 

Nighttime apnea events, which can occur from dozens to hundreds of times per night, cause the oxygen level in the blood to drop, the heart rate to increase, and constant sleep disruptions. Heavily impacting sleep quality, productivity, and overall health. Even more alarming is that 80% of OSA cases go undiagnosed.  Please see your doctor if you’re experiencing these 5 common signs of sleep apnea.

1. Snoring

Snoring is the subject of jokes and the cause of domestic strife everywhere.  It keeps the partners of snorers awake at night.  It rattles the walls.  It’s not a pleasant addition to any household.

But snoring is also one of the most common of the 5 common signs of sleep apnea.  When breathing is impeded due to a blockage or obstruction of the airway, snoring results.  Some who snore swear up and down they don’t.  They’re blissfully unaware of their nocturnal noisemaking, even when they’re told they’re keeping others awake at night.

But what you don’t know can hurt you. If you’re a nightly snorer, learn more about the negative effects of snoring check in with your doctor.

2. Chronic Fatigue

Even if you believe you’re getting enough sleep, if you have sleep apnea the breathing cessations associated with the condition mean you’re getting a lot less quality pillow time than you might think.

If you find that you’re unaccountably sleepy during the day, it may be because the breathing cessation provoked by sleep apnea is robbing you of the kind of nightly rest you need to feel your best during the day.

Although it may seem trivial, your sleepiness can mean dangerous driving and accidents in the workplace, so it’s important you investigate the cause.

3. Morning headaches

Multiple events of breathing cessation can cause vascular (originating in the blood vessels) headaches.  When your circulatory system isn’t being fed by the oxygen it needs because of repeated nocturnal sleep apnea events, blood vessels constrict.

That morning headache you’re waking up with far too often can be a sign that you need to discuss sleep apnea with your doctor.

4. High blood pressure

Multiple events of breathing cessation can cause vascular (originating in the blood vessels) headaches.  When your circulatory system isn’t being fed by the oxygen it needs because of repeated nocturnal sleep apnea events, blood vessels constrict.

That morning headache you’re waking up with far too often can be a sign that you need to discuss sleep apnea with your doctor.

4. Weight Problems

There is a strong link between sleep apnea and excess weight, or obesity.  An accumulation of fatty tissues in the neck can be the cause of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), in which these tissues block the passage of air to your lungs.

If you’re a man with a neck over 17” in circumference or a woman with a circumference of 16”, your risk for sleep apnea and associated health conditions is greatly increased.

If you suspect you have sleep apnea, please see your doctor to discuss treatment options or learn more about the benefits of stop snoring mouthpiece