It can lead to heart disease, stroke, and other long-term health conditions, such as high blood pressure or diabetes. The risk of obstructive sleep apnea increases with age, obesity, neck circumference, smoking, and medications. Other factors include a family history of a narrow airway, chronic nasal congestion, diabetes, and certain medical conditions like congestive heart failure, symptoms of sleep apnea can disrupt your sleep cycle and leave you feeling tired throughout the day.
1. Snoring
Loud snoring is often the first indicator of sleep apnea. In people with obstructive sleep apnea, the throat muscles relax and close off the airway, which causes them to breathe in with loud gasps or even choking sounds. The brain isn’t getting enough oxygen and the snoring is an automatic reaction to get the oxygen back in.
It’s not the only symptom, however. Other symptoms include:
Mood changes, such as depression and anxiety. In children, a lack of energy and poor school performance may be present.
If you suspect sleep apnea, talk to your health care provider. He or she might refer you for a sleep study to diagnose the condition. You can also try lifestyle changes to help prevent it, including losing weight, avoiding alcohol and sleeping on the side rather than on the back. This could ease snoring and make breathing easier. Also, quit smoking and take medications only as prescribed. Then, follow healthy eating and exercise guidelines.
2. Nausea
In people with obstructive sleep apnea, their throat muscles relax while they’re sleeping and narrow or block the airway. This prevents oxygen from reaching the lungs and causes short pauses in breathing called hypopneas or apneas. Over time, this can cause people to feel unwell, particularly in the morning when they wake up.
This is because repeated episodes of low blood oxygen levels lead to heart problems such as high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat and heart disease. It can also affect the arteries, kidneys and lungs. People with this type of apnea are also more likely to have diabetes, high cholesterol and obesity.
Obstructive sleep apnea tends to affect men more than women, especially after they reach middle age. Being overweight, being male, smoking and certain health conditions including heart disease, diabetes and polycystic ovary syndrome can increase the risk of developing this type of apnea. People living at high altitudes may also be more susceptible to this form of apnea.
3. Frequent urination
Many people with sleep apnea wake up several times a night to go pee. This is called nocturia and it can happen to people of all ages. It is a symptom of a number of conditions, including obstructive sleep apnea.
In obstructive sleep apnea, your throat and soft tissue collapse to block your airway during sleep. This cuts off your oxygen supply and raises the level of carbon dioxide in your blood. When the brain senses this change, it briefly awakens you and prompts your body to open your airway. This stress causes the heart to pump more blood and may cause the release of a hormone-like protein that increases your need for urine.
If you have frequent nocturia, it’s important to talk with your doctor. Untreated sleep apnea can lead to memory problems and trouble with concentration, especially at work or school. It can also increase your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes.
4. Insomnia
People with sleep apnea experience repeated reductions or pauses in their breathing during the night, which prevents their body from getting enough oxygen. This can make them irritable, agitated or depressed during the day. It can also cause a variety of health problems, including heart disease (particularly arrhythmias), high blood pressure, stroke, high cholesterol, diabetes and obesity.
The most common type of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea, which occurs when your airway becomes constricted or blocked during sleep. It can be caused by many things, including being overweight; a narrow throat; enlarged tonsils or adenoids; a thick neck; and certain medications, like sedatives or tranquilizers.
The other type of sleep apnea, central sleep apnea, is when the brain fails to send the right signals to your muscles that control breathing and chest movement during sleep. This condition is often caused by neuromuscular disorders such as Lou Gehrig’s disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and by some medications, especially opioids and narcotics; and by heart conditions like atrial fibrillation and heart failure.