Top Five Signs That You May Have Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea literally means sleep without breath. It refers to a condition when a person's breathing either slows to unhealthy levels or stops all together many times throughout the night while they are sleeping. Sleep apnea can lead to a multitude of physical and mental problems including headaches, dry mouth, irritability, fatigue, decrease in gray brain matter, and sexual dysfunction. According to the National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute, over 20 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea. The scary part is that most people who suffer from this condition aren’t even aware until it is pointed out to them by their partner or a friend.

How do you know if you are suffering from sleep apnea?

1. Waking up startled or gasping for air multiple times a night. When your breath stops, your body and brain struggle to wake you. This leads to sleep apnea patients often waking up in the night gasping for air.

2. General fatigue. If you are getting what seems like a good amount of sleep every night and are still generally tired and fatigued all of the time, you might suffer from sleep apnea. Because sleep apnea patients’ sleep is disrupted so many times per night, they spend their days exhausted and irritable.

3. Intellectual impairment. Your inability to concentrate may be due to more than just general weariness. Lack of sleep can decrease your brain’s ability to process information and memory. Recent studies have shown that sleep apnea also leads to a decrease in gray matter in the cerebral cortex which is where the human brain processes most of its information.

4. Snoring. Snoring can be indicative of large or swollen tonsils, naturally smaller airways, or larger or thicker necks. All of these things can also lead to sleep apnea.

5. Dry mouth and headaches upon waking. Both of these things are the first sign of sleep apnea. If you are struggling for breath during the night, you are likely gasping for air through your mouth, leading to your dry mouth. Your lack of oxygen in the brain is also probably causing the headaches you suffer each morning.

There are a number of other symptoms associated with sleep apnea. If you suspect that you suffer from this condition, speak to your doctor.