Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that has a dangerous side to it: Nearly 90% of sufferers don't know they have it. In fact you can have episodes of air gasping through the night without even remembering them. This disorder if left untreated could be fatal, so it is good to know about the symptoms of sleep apnea.

Sleep Apnea Symptoms

Sleep apnea manifests itself through these symptoms:

Apnea, which is the cessation of breathing while you are sleeping. This is easily spotted by your partner when she/he notices silences.
Awakenings to start breathing again. Sometimes you wake up in sweat.
Loud snoring.
Sleepiness throughout the day in places like school or work.
Gasping for air during sleep.
Headaches in the mornings. Sore throat and dry mouth after waking up.
Recent Weight Gain
Changes in personality

Diagnosing Sleep Apnea

As mentioned before, sleep apnea is better noticed by families or a a partner that can observe you while you sleep. Besides that, proper testing must be done by a health care practitioner along with a complete medical history.

A survey with questions about sleeping habits and an examination of mouth, neck and throat are also performed.

Other sleep apnea tests include: sleep studies, echocardiograms, studies on the thyroid function and checking for arterial blood gases.

It is important that you go see a doctor if you feel excessively sleepy throughout the day or if your family notices any of the mentioned symptoms. Excessive somnolence, changes in behavior, hallucinations and a permanent confusion can indicate a state of emergency.