Signs of Sleep Apnea

Though sleep apnea may have a variety of different causes, the signs of sleep apnea are, for the most part, very similar no matter what the underlying cause.

Since sleep apnea is a condition that results from a blockage of the air ways which causes the sufferer to wake during periods of sleep, many of the signs of sleep apnea appear during the times when the sufferer is asleep. Signs of sleep apnea that can be witnessed while the patient is asleep include snoring that is louder or more pervasive than what is perceived to be normal, repeated gasping for breath, attempting to breathe through the mouth (as a result of the nasal cavities being blocked), repeated awakenings, fidgety sleep, restlessness, periods of chest rising as if breathing were normal but no air is reaching the lungs, and fitful sleep motions.

Signs of sleep apnea are not limited only to appearing during sleep periods, however. Sleep apnea signs that can appear during the day include a rise in blood pressure (often dangerously so), daytime fatigue and sleepiness, inability to focus, moodiness, inability to concentrate, and in the most serious of cases, stroke. It is reported that sufferers of sleep apnea can even have an increased chance of heart attack, sometimes as much as 30%.

Sometimes it is difficult to diagnose signs of sleep apnea by their appearance alone. This is because many sleep apnea sufferers have grown accustomed to the signs and symptoms of sleep apnea over years of increasing intensity. Often, in order to correctly diagnose sleep apnea in patients who have acclimated themselves to the symptoms, a painless overnight hospital stay is recommended to study their sleep. The patient is monitored for various functions such as respiratory rate, adequate air flow, blood oxygen levels, and heart rate. Additionally, physicians may recommend monitoring the patient using visual and audio methods to record body position and snoring patterns.

The signs of sleep apnea, though troublesome and problematic, can often help physicians dial in the underlying cause of the sleep apnea so they can end up helping as much as they have harmed. Most of the time, only a physician that is experienced in diagnosing and treating sleep apnea can accurately determine if a patient’s symptoms are, indeed, signs of sleep apnea.