A sleep apnea disorder causes breathing interruptions during sleep. In such situations, your brain partially awakens you to help you resume breathing, disrupting your restorative sleep. Without prompt treatment, sleep disorders can lead to a variety of serious health complications. So, what are sleep apnea symptoms? The following article explores these details with CLM Sleep.
General Sleep Apnea Symptoms
There is often an overlap between obstructive and central sleep apnoea symptoms, making it difficult to distinguish between them. Sleep apnea is characterized by the following symptoms:
Snoring
One of the most common signs of sleep apnea is snoring. It causes the throat tissues to vibrate when airflow is obstructed through the mouth and nose. Therefore, you may experience temporary choking, gasping, or cessation of breathing and suffer from oxygen deprivation, sleep disturbances, and overall health problems. Loud snoring is often a common sign of obstructive sleep apnea
Respiratory disorder
Sleep apnea symptoms also include respiratory disorders. These sleep disorders obstruct airflow into the lungs and lead to oxygen deficiency in the body. This sleep apnea is characterized by the following types:
- Air gasping during sleep: When airways are blocked, individuals often gasp for air, struggle to breathe, and make gasping sounds. It can lead to sleep apnoea symptoms like sleep disturbance and daytime sleepiness.
- Cheyne-stoke breath: CSB is a peculiar breathing pattern common in patients with heart failure or respiratory illness. This sleep-related breathing disorder significantly affects sleep quality by periodic resurgences of low- and high-amplitude breaths.
Episodes of breathing pauses during sleep noted by others
Partners or others who notice when a person with sleep apnea struggles to breathe frequently observe breathing cessation episodes during sleep. People usually gasp or choke as they briefly wake up to resume normal breathing after these episodes. This symptom is one of the primary signs of sleep apnea, which indicates significant airway obstruction while sleeping.
Restless sleep or frequent nighttime awakenings
Restless sleep or nighttime awakening in sleep apnea symptoms describes the condition where patients frequently turn in bed because of interrupted breathing. This movement indicates the body’s effort to try and clear obstructed airways. As a result, individuals with symptoms of this response often find it difficult to maintain continuous sleep and an appropriate sleeping position; hence, they wake up restless and tired.
Choking or coughing during sleep
Choking or coughing while asleep may relate to different health problems but typically to sleep apnea symptoms. If the air passage is blocked, no air enters the lungs; the body awakens briefly to resume breathing, producing gasping sounds or coughs. This occurs due to poor-quality sleep and manifestations of excessive daytime drowsiness. This symptom diminishes sleep quality and can lead to daytime drowsiness.
Feeling tired or even exhausted when waking up
Feeling tired upon waking is just one of the symptoms that point to sleep apnea. It often goes that one’s breathing while asleep is hampered, and thus, one cannot have a sound rest. Even if you have slept throughout the night, constant disruptions can make you feel like you were not refreshed in the morning. Such fatigue is going to interfere with daily activities and decrease concentration plus quality of life.
Morning headaches
Waking up with a headache is common and may indicate problems related to sleep quality or be a symptom of sleep apnea since there are low oxygen levels and disturbed sleep. Discomfort usually results from being kept awake at night, as well as from low oxygen that accompanies the disturbance, leaving one feeling achy and tired in the morning.
Waking up with a dry mouth or sore throat
A dry mouth? Sore throat? typically results from nocturnal mouth breathing when the airway is obstructed, impeding free respiration and producing dryness plus irritation in the oral cavity and pharynx, especially upon awakening. This manifestation of sleep apnea is due to fragmented airflow, which produces dyssomnia and renders the oropharynx rough or painful on rising.
Hypersomnia
One of the symptoms that may be linked to sleep apnea is daytime sleepiness; people who have this problem can sleep more because they are not resting well at night and feel tired during the day. They could also have had enough hours of sleep, but the breathing interruptions do not allow the body to recover properly. This is also one of the common childhood sleep apnoea symptoms.
Mood disturbances
Mood disturbances as among the symptoms of sleep apnea; these are changes in emotions that result from bad quality of sleep. People with this disease have very broken and superficial slumbers, which makes them feel tired and irritated. Those problems can change moods heavily, causing depression, tensity, and problems in keeping emotional equilibrium.
Disruptions in brain function
One of the symptoms of sleep apnea is disruptions in brain function. When breathing is what gets interrupted, then the brain is not receiving sufficient oxygen, which results in fatigue as well as difficulty concentrating, and memory that is not well functioning. These can work against work performance and the general living life of an individual.
Insomnia
Insomnia, night sweats, and restlessness may be symptoms of sleep apnea. Night sweats are due to the body’s reactions to breathing stoppages during most cases of obstructive sleep apnea, while restlessness is a reflection of the body trying to have peaceful sleep but with continuous awakenings. An implication of both is that they reduce sleep quality, causing daytime tiredness and unease.
Specific to Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
Sleep apnea is an all too common condition; it involves the obstruction of air flowing into the body during sleep, and consequently, breathing stops, and oxygen in the blood goes down. Symptoms of OSA awake breathing difficulties are only one type. Below is a classification of these signs sleep apnea:
Sleep apnea symptoms when awake
- Fatigue or Exhaustion: Despite getting enough sleep, you still feel tired upon waking.
- Daytime Sleepiness: This can lead to drowsiness while driving or during other activities.
- Mood Changes: Commonly experienced symptoms include depression and anxiety.
- Cognitive Dysfunction: This sign may include memory loss, difficulty concentrating, and other mental issues.
- Headaches: Frequent headaches upon waking.
- Insomnia: Difficulty maintaining continuous sleep.
- Sexual Dysfunction: Decreased libido or sexual ability.
Sleep apnea symptoms when asleep
- Snoring: Frequent snoring, though not always present.
- Awakening During the Night: Recognizing the reason for waking may be challenging.
- Observed Apnea Episodes: A spouse or family member may notice you stop breathing during sleep.
- Night Sweats: Feelings of dampness and discomfort during sleep.
- Restlessness During Sleep: Frequent movement and difficulty maintaining a comfortable sleeping position.
- Waking with Shortness of Breath: Feelings of choking or difficulty breathing upon waking. This is also one of the common infant sleep apnea symptoms.
If you experience these sleep apnea symptoms, consult a doctor for timely evaluation and treatment.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a condition characterized by temporary airway blockage during sleep (Source: Collected)
Specific to Central Sleep Apnea (CSA)
Central Sleep Apnea (CSA) is a form of sleep apnea symptoms in which the brain fails to send the necessary signals to control the respiratory muscles, leading to breathing cessation. The specific symptoms of CSA include:
- Apnea: Episodes of breathing cessation occur during sleep, typically without accompanying snoring.
- Severe Morning Headaches: Headaches upon waking, often due to oxygen deprivation.
- Dry Mouth: Frequent dryness in the mouth upon waking.
- Irritability: Mood may become irritable and easily frustrated.
- Difficulty Concentrating: Reduced attention span and focus in daily activities.
If you have CSA, you may suddenly awaken at night without an apparent reason. The person living with you may notice that you are restless and move around a lot during sleep. If you experience these symptoms, consult a doctor for timely diagnosis and treatment.
Conclusion
Sleep apnea is a common condition that causes interruptions in breathing during sleep. If left untreated, this condition can lead to severe complications. Therefore, recognizing sleep apnea symptoms is crucial for seeking timely intervention and improving overall health. If you experience loud snoring, gasping for air during sleep, excessive daytime sleepiness, or difficulty concentrating, consult a healthcare provider for appropriate diagnosis and treatment.
The most effective treatments for sleep apnea include the CPAP machine (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure). This device provides a continuous air flow to keep the airway open, preventing apnea episodes and improving sleep quality. To achieve optimal results, it is essential to use the CPAP machine every night. If you encounter difficulties maintaining this routine, consult your doctor to find suitable solutions for better sleep.
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