Grayson West
Have you ever woken up feeling exhausted despite a complete night’s sleep? Or perhaps you’ve been told your snoring could wake the neighbors? These might be signs of sleep apnea. But how do you know for sure if you have it? Here are 15 subtle symptoms.
Loud Snoring and Gasping
During sleep apnea episodes, the passage is partially or fully blocked, triggering disruptions in breathing. The loud snoring occurs as the individual struggles to breathe, and the pauses or gasps indicate moments when breathing stops temporarily, followed by sudden efforts to resume breathing.
Feeling Tired
These feelings of tiredness occur because the regular cessation of breathing throughout the night disrupts the normal sleep cycle, preventing restorative sleep. Even though the individual may spend the recommended amount of time in bed, the quality of sleep is poor, causing daytime fatigue and exhaustion.
Morning Headaches
When breathing pauses repeatedly throughout the night, the volume of oxygen in the bloodstream drops, bringing about hypoxemia. This lack of oxygen can trigger headaches upon waking as the body attempts to compensate for the oxygen deprivation.
Difficulty Concentrating
The brain requires uninterrupted sleep cycles to consolidate memories and maintain optimal cognitive function. When sleep is repeatedly interrupted by breathing difficulties, it impairs cognitive processes such as attention, concentration, and decision-making abilities, culminating in concentration difficulties during waking hours.
Irritability
Repeated sleep interruptions can lead to fragmented sleep, leaving the person feeling unrested and irritable during the day. This irritability can affect mood and interactions with others, impacting daily functioning and quality of life.
Forgetfulness
Due to the continuous sleep disruptions caused by sleep apnea occurrences, the brain cannot complete the necessary cycles of deep sleep, affecting memory formation and retention. Hence, affected individuals may experience difficulty recalling information and retaining new memories, provoking noticeable forgetfulness in daily activities.
Frequent Urination
During sleep apnea episodes, the body’s oxygen levels drop, releasing stress hormones that prompt the kidneys to produce more urine. The result is waking up several times in the night to urinate, disrupting the natural sleep pattern.
Dry Mouth
A dry mouth in the context of sleep apnea occurs due to breathing through the mouth instead of the nose due to obstructions in the airway during sleep. When this happens, there’s reduced saliva production, resulting in waking up with a parched or sore throat.
Chest Pain
Incidents of sleep apnea that reduce oxygen levels in the blood can lead to the release of stress hormones, increasing heart rate and blood pressure. Over time, this strain on the heart can cause chest pain, especially at night.
Night Sweats
Sleep apnea disrupts regular breathing patterns, leading to increased pressure on the body and triggering sweating. As the body struggles to maintain adequate oxygen levels during sleep, it may respond by activating its stress response system, which can increase sweating.
Restless Sleep
Restless sleep in the context of sleep apnea refers to frequent tossing and turning in bed to find a comfortable position. Individuals with sleep apnea may experience restlessness while sleeping due to interruptions in breathing, making them wake briefly multiple times at night.
Decreased Libido
Sleep apnea can affect hormonal balance and disrupt normal bodily functions, leading to a decrease in sexual desire or performance. The drops in the amount of blood oxygen during sleep apnea occurrences can contribute to erectile dysfunction in men and reduced libido in both men and women.
High blood pressure:
The intermittent breathing during sleep apnea episodes causes a disruption in the quantity of oxygen in the bloodstream, which triggers stress responses in the body. The result is an increase in blood pressure over time. Additionally, repeated awakenings during the night can also heighten blood pressure.
Weight gain
Weight gain induced by sleep apnea can occur due to various factors. Disrupted sleep patterns can affect hormones like leptin and ghrelin, which regulate appetite, promoting increased cravings for food. The fatigue caused by poor sleep can also hinder physical activity, further exacerbating weight gain.
Depression
Poor sleep quality disrupts the body’s natural rhythms, causing imbalances in neurotransmitters and hormones that regulate mood. When sleep is consistently interrupted by breathing intermissions and oxygen deprivation, it can result in feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and frustration.
Comments
Loading…