Sleep Apnea Symptoms: Warning Signs of Breathing Disturbances

Warning Signs of Sleep Apnea: Snoring, Fatigue & More

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that causes interruptions in your breathing while you’re resting. These pauses in breathing can occur either due to a physical blockage in your airway, known as obstructive sleep apnea, or because the brain fails to send the correct signals to your breathing muscles, referred to as central sleep apnea.

This can ultimately prevent you from sleeping well and can cause detrimental stress on your cardiovascular system, leading to severe health issues if not treated. A sleep specialist can assist you in creating a tailored treatment plan that can address your symptoms and prevent long-term damage.

Thus, it is crucial to understand the symptoms of sleep apnea for early diagnosis and proper treatment. Keep reading for a detailed insight.

What are the Sleep Apnea Symptoms?

One of the most frequent sleep apnea symptoms is loud and recurring snoring. While common, snoring isn't a universal symptom of sleep apnea; conversely, not everyone who snores has the condition.

Sleep apnea causes breathing abnormalities. You may not breathe for a few seconds or hard, which decreases your oxygen level. In some instances, both can happen at the same time. For the most part, individuals are unaware unless somebody is monitoring them, such as a roommate or partner.

Indicators can even differ from individual to individual, but they can be:

• Loud snoring, sometimes with cessation, and usually loud enough to disturb others in the vicinity.
• Waking up with a sore or dry throat, possibly from sleeping with your mouth open.
• Dry mouth because of habitual mouth breathing.
• Sudden awakenings during the night with a choking or gasping feeling.
• Tossing and turning, sleepability, or insomnia.
• Daytime drowsiness or sleepiness despite a whole night's sleep, caused by repeated unnoticed nighttime awakenings.
• Although the aetiology of waking headaches is not entirely clear, they may be secondary to poor sleeping or sleep apnea.
• Loss of memory, mood swings, or a decrease in libido—all of which can have their roots in poor sleeping.
• Waking up dizzy may be linked to a lack of oxygen.
• Nightmares, since past research has established a potential connection between disturbed sleep and nightmares, but more research needs to be done for this to be cultivated.

These are common sleep apnea symptoms in women and men, who may experience more subtle signs like fatigue, insomnia, and mood changes rather than loud snoring. If you notice these symptoms regularly, speak to your healthcare provider. A sleep evaluation might be necessary to confirm a diagnosis.

What are the Causes of Sleep Apnea?

The root causes of sleep apnea can vary depending on the type you’re dealing with. Listed below are some of the types, with their causes:

1. Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)

OSA is often linked to physical factors that narrow or block the airway. Contributing factors may include:

• Anatomical traits such as enlarged tonsils or a larger-than-average tongue
• Excess fat deposits around the neck area
• Hormonal conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which is often associated with weight gain and metabolic changes that increase OSA risk
• Accumulation of fluid in the neck due to heart or kidney failure
• Over-relaxation of muscles in the mouth and throat while asleep

2. Central Sleep Apnea (CSA)

A suppression of coordination between breathing muscles and the brain causes CSA. Some of the diseases that may cause CSA are:

• Congestive heart failure
• Stroke
• Neuromuscular disease, myasthenia gravis
• Progressive neurologic diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
• Usually, prolonged opioid drug use

In some cases, premature infants may exhibit central sleep apnea, but this typically improves as they grow and develop.

What is the Diagnosis of Sleep Apnea?

Your healthcare professional will initially perform a physical examination and a thorough inquiry of your symptoms to rule out other possible medical disorders. If a physician suspects sleep apnea, you will be referred to a sleep lab for additional testing.

Various body functions are tested and tracked during a polysomnography, or sleep study. These include:

• Brain activity (electroencephalogram)
• Eye and leg movement
• The level of oxygen in the blood
• Air pattern and breathing
• Heart rate and rhythm

A sleep expert then reviews and interprets the data to make a diagnosis. Home sleep testing can be an option for some patients. Evidence from a 2022 study suggests that home testing with certified equipment is as reliable as in-lab sleep testing for the diagnosis of sleep apnea.

However, if you suspect other medical issues, your physician may suggest a complete in-lab sleep test to obtain more detailed results.

What is the Treatment for Sleep Apnea?

A healthcare professional will recommend different treatment methods based on the severity and type of your sleep apnea. These can be:

• Wearing a device such as a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine to help with breathing
• Management of underlying conditions precipitating or worsening sleep apnea
• Positional therapy, such as avoiding sleeping on the back, to help keep the airway open
• Use of a dental appliance (oral device) to keep the airway patent
• For select patients who cannot tolerate CPAP, hypoglossal nerve stimulation therapy is an option. This implantable device stimulates the nerve that controls the tongue to prevent airway blockage
• Correct administration of medication
• Resorting to surgery in case the other options fail or are not suitable

Other treatment options may include:

Sleep Apnea Surgery

Surgery is intended to clear obstructions from the air passages in the nose or throat. These can include:

• Jaw Surgery: Jaw advancement surgery (maxillomandibular advancement) physically enlarges the upper and lower jaw to create more space behind the tongue and soft palate, significantly reducing airway obstruction.
• Nasal Surgery: Septoplasty and other surgeries fix the nasal septum and improve airflow through the nose.

You might not even know you have sleep apnea until someone notices odd nighttime breathing. Instead, you will likely just be tired after sleeping a whole night. Even though obstructive sleep apnea symptoms are common, they can be managed with the right approach. Implement minor changes to your sleep schedule and consult your healthcare provider for optimal rest.