Sleep Apnea Symptoms May Frequently Be Difficult To Identify - By: Don Saunders

Sleep apnea is a very common sleep disorder that affects in excess of 12,000,000 US citizens and today is as common as adult diabetes.

The most common form of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea which, as its name implies, results from an obstruction to the airways that produces problems with breathing. Additionally, there is a second form of sleep apnea called central sleep apnea, in which the brain does not adequately control breathing during sleep. A significant number of people suffer from mixed sleep apnea, which is a mixture of obstructive sleep apnea and central forms of the condition.

Sleep apnea symptoms may arise at any time and, while they are most often seen in overweight men who are over forty, they may be seen in men and women at any age and are increasingly being seen today in children.

The most obvious symptom of sleep apnea is snoring which is unfortunately a hard symptom to spot yourself and generally has to be pointed out to you by your sleeping partner. There can be many causes for snoring and the presence of snoring is not by itself an indication that you have sleep apnea. Most sleep apnea sufferers do snore.

The second most obvious sleep apnea symptom is excessive tiredness during the day. When you are suffering from sleep apnea you stop breathing many times throughout the night and the body's instinctive reaction to this is to wake you just sufficiently to start you breathing again, but not enough for you to be aware of the fact that you are being awakened. The result of this is that your sleep is extremely light and continually interrupted and you cannot enjoy the deep sleep that your body needs in order to recharge its batteries. As a result, over time, you find yourself getting increasingly tired and sleepy during the day.

If sleep apnea is left untreated its affects will start to become more and more evident and further symptoms will start to appear. These may include headaches (particularly early in the morning), petulance and sometimes depression. You may also notice yourself starting to put on weight.

One not quite so obvious symptom of sleep apnea is a rise in blood pressure which can lead to several cardiovascular problems. This will be detected if you are among the growing number of individuals who are now monitoring their blood pressure at home but otherwise might not be seen until you have a routine physical exam at your doctor's office.

Yet another symptom is that of learning difficulties and difficultues with memory. Again this is not easy to detect yourself but friends and family may notice that you are no longer as fast on the uptake as you used to be.

A few sleep apnea sufferers will experience a decline in their sexual function and this could ultimately lead to impotency.

As with a lot of medical conditions individual symptoms could well be a sign of just about anything. But, if you start to notice these symptoms coming together then you should think about talking to your doctor and possibly think about having yourself tested for sleep apnea.

One word of warning though. Testing for sleep apnea will frequently mean referral to a sleep specialist, preferably one certified by the American Board of Sleep Medicine (ABSM), and might involve undergoing overnight sleep testing either at home or in a sleep laboratory. This testing can often cost in excess of $1,000 and you should check with your health insurer before committing yourself to a program of sleep apnea testing.

About the Author

Help-Me-To-Sleep.com offers information and advice on a range of different sleep disorders including sleep apnea and looks at sleep apnea symptoms amongst other things. We also look in detail at finding a natural insomnia cure

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