The Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

There are many symptoms of sleep apnea.  The main problem is that breathing stops for several seconds while the person is asleep.  That leads to other problems.

Breathing cessation sometimes wakes the person, but it is usually the bed partner that notices the delay.  Loud snoring may or may not accompany the pauses in breathing.  A lot depends on the type of apnea you are dealing with. There are two main types; obstructive and central.  A third type is classified as mixed, because the characteristics of both types are present.

In the obstructive type, something is blocking the airway.  Enlarged tonsils or adenoids could be involved.  But usually it is a combination of the tongue and soft palate.  As a person relaxes, the soft palate at the opening to the throat may collapse.  The tongue may slide back into the throat and create an additional blockage.

The brain is involved in the central type.  Something interferes with the normal signals to breathe.  People with the central type are more likely to be awakened by the symptoms of sleep apnea.  They waken with a rapid heartbeat, gasping for breath.

While the person may or may not be aware of the breathing cessation, the quality of their rest is poor.  People with the condition tend to toss and turn.  They may awaken frequently during the night and have difficulty falling back to sleep. 

The poor quality of rest will usually lead to one of the other common symptoms of sleep apnea; daytime fatigue.  People suffering from the condition may fall asleep while driving.  They may feel sleepy upon awakening or need frequent naps during the day. 

Lack of energy accompanies the sleepiness.  They may feel chronically tired.

Breathing cessation may lead to low blood oxygen levels such as those seen in asthmatics and people with other respiratory conditions.  The low blood oxygen levels combined with the frequent awakenings and difficulty sleeping leads to one of the other symptoms of sleep apnea; morning headaches.

Those who suffer from the condition may wake with dark circles under their eyes.  Their skin or lips may have a bluish tinge due to low oxygen levels. 

The brain cannot function normally without adequate uninterrupted sleep.  Combine the lack of rest with the lack of oxygen in the blood and other symptoms of sleep apnea begin to appear.  Those include mood changes, depression, anxiety or forgetfulness. 

Sufferers sometimes complain of generally feeling dull or not alert.  They may have difficulty concentrating or learning new things.  Children suffering from the problem may have difficulty in school.  They sometimes fall asleep at their desks. 

Sore throat, dry mouth and snoring are other symptoms.  Snoring is most often noticed by a parent, spouse or roommate.  It is not unusual to wake with a dry mouth.  It is not necessarily a symptom of a health problem.  Snoring is not always a symptom either.  But excessive or very loud snoring is usually a symptom of the obstructive type. 

Doctors have identified certain factors that are accompanied by an increased risk of the obstructive type.  Being overweight is one.  Fat deposits around the throat decrease the size of the upper airways making it more difficult to breathe.

A neck circumference larger than 43 cm (17 inches) is accompanied by an increased risk for the obstructive type.  Usually the larger neck is accompanied by being overweight, but in some cases it is increased musculature such as is seen in some body builders.  As the neck muscles enlarge, the airways may become narrower.

High blood pressure could be one of the symptoms of sleep apnea, one of the causes or simply a risk factor.  Scientists are not sure which comes first, but they do known that people with high blood pressure are more likely to have the condition.

For some reason, otherwise healthy men are more likely to develop the breathing difficulties than healthy women.  A woman’s risk increases with age, weight gain and menopause.  But all things being equal, she is less likely to suffer from the condition than he is.

The risk is greater in people who are over the age of 65.  Estimates of the increased risk vary.  Some studies indicate that a senior citizen is twice as likely to have apneas.  Others say the risk is three times greater for older people.

The symptoms of sleep apnea are often seen among members of the same family.  The reason could be genetics or unusual facial and neck characteristics.  For example, a thicker tongue would be more likely to slide back into the throat and obstruct breathing.  In the nose, a deviated septum can interfere with breathing and cause excessive snoring.  A deviated septum is sometimes a family trait.

The use of alcohol and sedative drugs is accompanied by an increased risk due to increased relaxation of the throat muscles.  A person suffering from the condition should not take sleeping pills.  The condition is rarely fatal, but death from drug overdose is similar to what occurs in the central type.  The brain stops sending out the signal to breathe.

Cigarette smokers are more likely to have breathing difficulties of all kinds.  The risk of apneas is greater, possibly due to the carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke.  Smoking in the house or in the bedroom would cause increased levels of carbon monoxide, a sedative and a poison.  After exposure to carbon monoxide, people experience headaches like those that are symptoms of sleep apnea.  A cure for the condition could be as simple as quitting smoking.

The condition itself is not usually life threatening, but the complications are.  The drop in blood oxygen that accompanies the missed breaths puts increased strain on the heart and cardiovascular system.  If a person already has heart disease, the missed breathes can cause sudden death from a heart attack or other cardiac event.

Daytime fatigue might not seem like a serious problem, but if a person falls asleep while driving, it could be fatal.  There is also an increased risk of complications when surgery is needed by a person who has the problem.

If you believe that you are suffering from the symptoms of sleep apnea, see your doctor. Effective treatments are available.