5 Common Sleep Apnea Signs You Need to Look Out For

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder with potentially serious repercussions. That’s why it’s important to be aware that you have it in order to get it treated as soon as possible. But how are you supposed to know you have sleep apnea when you’re mostly asleep when it happens?

1. Constant Fatigue

Do you feel like your sleep is never quite enough? You should check to see if your sleep apnea is the cause. That’s because one of the most common sleep apnea signs is chronic fatigue.

Even though you are getting enough sleep, your sleep apnea might be making you feel more tired than you should be. You may even have a difficult time getting out of bed in the morning because you feel so tired.

2. Moodiness

If you have sleep apnea, you may experience feelings of depression and moodiness. That’s because your brain is deprived of oxygen during the night, which causes you to feel tired, depressed and/or moody.

These emotions are likely to cause you to lose your temper more easily and to feel more irritable than usual. This can make maintaining close relationships more difficult than usual and can cause your friendships and romantic relationships to suffer.

3. Shortness of Breath During the Day

You may find yourself out of breath and panting for breath during the day. This may occur more and more as your sleep apnea gets worse, which is one of the reasons for constant fatigue.

When you are experiencing shortness of breath, you may have trouble doing things that people usually take for granted, like walking upstairs, climbing a hill or going on a long drive. All of these things may start to become too difficult for you to do because of your sleep apnea if you don’t get help to treat it.

4. High Blood Pressure

One of the most serious sleep apnea signs that you should be aware of is high blood pressure. Sleep apnea can cause high blood pressure because of the weight on your chest caused by the pauses in your breathing during the night.

There have even been cases of people who have died from sleep apnea because of the high blood pressure it causes. So if you find yourself experiencing high blood pressure, you should ask your doctor if sleep apnea is the cause.

5. Snoring

People who have sleep apnea often snore even when they are not sleeping. This is not just because of the pauses in breathing that lead to snoring. Snoring is also caused by the tongue falling back into the throat and obstructing the airway.

If you are experiencing snoring that is either loud or frequent or if you are experiencing any of the sleep apnea signs or symptoms, you should go see your doctor as soon as possible.

Final Thoughts

There are many sleep apnea signs that you should be aware of so that you can get the help you need to treat your sleep apnea. Since sleep apnea can cause so many problems, it is important to make sure that you seek out treatment as soon as you can.

Get your sleep apnea symptoms checked at Lethbridge Snoring & Sleep Apnea Clinic. We provide sleep testing to help understand and assess underlying sleep conditions. We’re passionate about helping our patients achieve better sleep health.