Do you feel that your breathing repeatedly stops and restarts while sleeping? Do you snore loudly, and feel tired even after a full night’s sleep? Well, you might be having a potentially serious sleep disorder called ‘sleep apnea.’ Sleep apnea is an involuntary cessation of breathing that occurs when you are asleep. In most cases, the sleeper is not aware of the breath stoppages because they don’t trigger a full awakening of the sleeper. If sleep apnea is untreated, it can have serious and sometimes even life-shortening consequences like high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. If you want to know whether you are suffering from sleep apnea, here are some symptoms that will help you know if you have one!
Snoring is loud and disruptive. It occurs during sleep and could be a very well sign of sleep apnea. Vibrations due to breathing produce the sound of snoring in the tissues within the airways of the nose and throat. The vibrations are caused by turbulent airflow through narrowed airways. Partial blockage or obstructions in the airways can add up to snoring.
Sleep apnea sufferers commonly report headaches. Due to frequent stoppage of breathing during the night, less oxygen makes its way to the brain. Low oxygen levels in your brain trigger headaches. Sleep-related headaches cause a throbbing pain, which can accompany vomiting and nausea. Dentists recommend sleep apnea appliances to provide relief from sleep-related headaches.
Despite getting plenty of sleep in the night, do you still feel tired during the day? If yes, then you might be suffering from sleep apnea. All those pauses and interruptions in breathing during your sleep in the night have contributed to the loss of your quality and quantity of sleep. Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is an often overlooked symptom. The symptoms of EDS are:
Daytime drowsiness can lead to automobile accidents during sleep.
Dry mouth and drooling are contradictory findings found among the sufferers. Dry mouth often occurs when your nasal passage is blocked. The blockage may be due to allergies, severe cold or deviated nasal septum. Drooling often occurs because the mouth is open during the sleep which makes the saliva free to drip on the corners of the mouth. Breathing through mouth often leads to loud snoring and may contribute to the collapse of the airway in the sleep.
Sleep apnea often contributes to the risk of developing high blood pressure. This condition, also known as hypertension, can lead to adverse consequences like heart strokes or attacks. Due to disrupted breathing in the night, it leads to a drop in blood oxygen levels, increase in heart rate and blood pressure. This results in an increase in inflammation in the body. Treatment like continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) can be an effective medication to stabilize blood pressure.
Teeth grinding may often be a sign of sleep apnea. It occurs subconsciously in sleep to tighten your muscles of the airway and keep the jaw moving backward. This condition prevents the tongue from falling into and blocking the airway. Teeth grinding can lead to tooth enamel damage, TMJ problems, and headaches. Sleep apnea can cause bruxism or misaligned jaws which may lead to aching jaws. You may consider sleep apnea appliances, which are available to resolve these issues.
Many people suffering from sleep apnea often order oral devices without consulting dental professionals. You may find your snoring symptoms to go away, but you might not prevent the apnea. Before diving into sleep apnea appliances, you need to consult your nearby dental clinic to help you guide about the available treatments. Talk to your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms of sleep apnea.