Sleep Apnea Symptom - How Can You Tell If You Have a Sleep Disorder?
Sometimes it becomes difficult to spot a particular apnea problem,
as symptoms for many disorders will overlap and finding the right
disorder becomes a major task. To worsen the situation, symptoms
of sleep apnea occurs only in the night, as a result of which only
a few sufferers really know about it. The person affected by sleep
apnea rarely knows about the symptoms that show up. Only someone
sleeping right next to the patient can truly identify the problem.
Few of the indicators which will help to perceive a clear view of sleep apnea are:
- Loud Snoring - Sound generated due to the obstruction of free flow of air in the back of the nose and mouth. It occurs when a person sleeps on his back and ceases when he sleeps on his sides.
- Intermittent stoppages of breath in sleep which last for 10-20 seconds that occurs about 100 to 400 times in a night.
- When stoppage of breath occurs the person gets to inhale higher amount of air, which may cause the person to choke and gasp causing loss of sleep.
- Insomnia - Having trouble falling sleep, highly disturbed and un-refreshing sleep, or waking up too early in the morning are indicators that a person is suffering from Insomnia.
- Daytime sleepiness or sleeping at inappropriate times and places without the knowledge
- Dry mouth caused due to inhalation through the mouth
- Heart burns - Chronic heart burn could cause damage to the sensitive tissues of the throat due to the acid that rises from the stomach to the esophagus thereby leading to Sleep Apnea. It is one of the early symptoms too to show up before Sleep Apnea manifests.
- Person gets irritated easily even without getting provoked
- Morning headaches or hangovers due to insufficient sleep
- Forgetfulness or Absent Mindedness
- Sudden mood swings
- Sudden weight gain - Sleep apnea and Heart burns could cause a person to suddenly gain weight or could lead to Obesity.
- Poor judgement or reduced analysis capability
- Personality changes
- High blood pressure
- Swelling of the legs (in certain advanced cases)
- Frequent urination at night - Due to low level of oxygen
in the body, there is increase in pressure on the right side of
the heart. It in turn triggers high level of hormone called atrial
natriuretic peptide (ANP). ANP is a diuretic that is associated
with an increased number of visits to the bathroom.
- Decreased libido - Inability to breathe properly during sleep
results in low production of the testosterone hormone, resulting
in decreased libido and sexual activity.
If the above indicators persist it is advisable to consult a physician.
Tests will be performed on the patient to check whether there is
any extra growth of tissues or blockages. A simple questionnaire
can be administered to the patient and his/her family members to
gain better insight into the symptoms experienced during sleep and
the sleep pattern he/she is experiencing.
The following tests can also be done by the physician to reconfirm
the diagnosis.
- Sleep studies
- An ECG
- Verify and record observations of low oxygen or increased carbon dioxide
- Echocardiogram to assess normal functioning of the heart
- Thyroid test
Once the diagnosis is confirmed, it's time to think about sleep apnea treatment methods.
Sleep apnea resources
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