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Many of us have heard horror stories of people witnessing their loved ones almost losing their breath. Most people think of snoring as one of the most common sleep apnea symptoms. However, not everyone who snores has sleep apnea.
What is sleep apnea?
First of all sleep apnea is not a snoring condition. it is a medical condition that causes a patient to stop breathing during sleep. “Apnea” comes from the Greek word “apnous” which means “breathless.”Hence sleep apnea occurs when you stop breathing during sleep. it can happen due to a physical blockage of your airways, also known as obstructive sleep apnea, or because your brain cannot control your breathing correctly, i.e. central apnea.
Because of the lack of oxygen, your body enters a survival mode, activating a survival reflex that wakes you up just in time to resume breathing. This reflex ensures that you get enough oxygen to keep you alive. Nevertheless, this reflex also wakes you up, preventing you from having a good night’s rest and putting your heart under stress, which may result in potentially harmful consequences.
What are the symptoms of sleep apnea?
The symptoms of sleep apnea differ from person and some are easier to spot more than others. However, here are the most common symptoms:
Feeling exhausted or tired after waking up. Even when a person with sleep apnea has had a full night’s rest, he or she may still wake up feeling extremely tired.
Sleepiness during the day. Due to lack of proper sleep during the night a person suffering from sleep apnea may often feel sleepy during the day, and in worse cases, the drowsiness can affect daytime activities like driving, working, and other physical activities.
Snoring. As mentioned earlier, snoring is a common symptom of sleep apnea. However, snoring does not occur at all times. Therefore, you can have sleep apnea even without snoring at all.
Waking up repeatedly in the middle of the night. In most cases, this symptom goes unnoticed because people do not often remember waking at all.
Unusual breathing patterns. People with sleep apnea often exhibit abnormal breathing patterns that other people may witness. Pauses in breathing, and fast breathing patterns that either go deeper or shallower until they suddenly stop are quite common.
Other symptoms include:
Mood changes
Insomnia
Night sweats
Sexual dysfunction
Shortness of breath
Headaches upon waking up
If you experience any of these sleep apnea symptoms, it is best to consult a medical professional for advice and treatment options.