The Symptoms Of Sleep Apnea May Often Be Hard To Identify

Sleep apnea is a very commonly seen sleep disorder which affects over 12 million US citizens and nowadays is as commonplace as adult diabetes.

The commonest form of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea which, as the name indicates, is caused by an obstruction to the airways which interferes with breathing. There is also another form of sleep apnea called central sleep apnea, in which the brain cannot adequately control breathing during sleep. Some people suffer from mixed sleep apnea, which is a combination of both obstructive and central forms of the condition.

The symptoms of sleep apnea can arise at any time and, while they are most often found in overweight men over the age of forty, they can be seen in both men and women of all ages and are increasingly being found today in children.

The most obvious symptom of sleep apnea is snoring which is unfortunately a hard symptom to spot yourself and frequently has to be pointed out by your sleeping partner. Snoring has several different causes and snoring is not by itself a sign that you have sleep apnea. It is a fact however that most sufferers will snore.

The second most obvious symptom of sleep apnea is excessive daytime tiredness. When you suffer from sleep apnea you stop breathing frequently throughout the night and the body's natural reaction to this is to arouse you just sufficiently to start you breathing again, but not sufficiently so that you are aware of the fact that you are being awakened. The result is that your sleep is frequently interrupted and very light and you do not enjoy the deep sleep which your body needs to recharge its batteries. Consequently, in time, you find that you are getting more and more tired during the day.

If sleep apnea is left untreated its affects will start to become increasingly evident and a range of additional symptoms will start to appear. These might include headaches (particularly early in the morning), petulance and sometimes depression. You may also find that you are beginning to put on weight.

One of the less obvious symptoms of sleep apnea is increased blood pressure which can lead to various cardiovascular problems. This will be spotted if you are among the growing number of people who now monitor their blood pressure regularly at home but might not otherwise be seen until you have a routine physical exam with your doctor.

Another symptom is that of learning difficulties and difficultues with memory retention. Once again this is not easy to spot yourself but friends and family might well notice that you are not as fast on the uptake as you used to be.

A number of sleep apnea sufferers will experience a fall in sexual function and this could ultimately lead to impotency.

As is the case with with a lot of medical conditions individual symptoms by themselves could well be a sign of practically anything. But, if you start to notice these symptoms coming together then you should think about talking to your doctor and possibly think about having yourself tested for sleep apnea.

One word of caution though. Testing for sleep apnea will frequently involve referral to a sleep specialist, preferably one who is certified by the American Board of Sleep Medicine (ABSM), and could mean undergoing overnight sleep testing either at home or in a sleep laboratory. This testing can frequently cost more than $1,000 and you may wish to check with your insurance company before committing yourself to any program of sleep apnea evaluation.

About the Author

Help-Me-To-Sleep.com offers information and advice on a range of different sleep disorders including sleep apnea and looks at the causes of sleep apnea amongst other things. We also look in detail at finding a natural insomnia cure

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