Sleep apnea is a potentially harmful condition that causes individuals to stop breathing for brief periods while sleeping. Sleep apnea symptoms causes its victims to snore very loudly, as well. While sleep apnea isn’t necessarily dangerous in its mildest form, more serious forms of this condition can impede liver function, lead to type II diabetes, high blood pressure, and other potentially harmful conditions. If you believe you might have sleep apnea, here are some symptoms that you might experience:
Excessive Snoring
If you’re married or in a committed relationship, then you likely sleep in the same bed as your partner. Sometimes a person is aware that they snore because it’s possible to wake yourself up with sudden or loud snoring. However, if you’re not sure whether or not you snore and it’s loud enough, your partner is likely to complain. This is one of the main symptoms of sleep apnea, although snoring could also be caused by other issues.
Irritability
Being irritable is another symptom that could be caused by sleep apnea or something completely different. That’s why it’s important to write down all your symptoms before jumping to conclusions. However, if you suffer from loud snoring and irritability, then your chances of having sleep apnea are increased.
A.M. Dry Mouth or Sore Throat
If you’ve been regularly waking up with a dry mouth and/or sore throat, then this is a definite symptom, unless you have allergies. However, if you have been having this symptom along with the previous two, then there’s a good chance that you could suffer from sleep apnea.
Daytime Fatigue
If you’ve been chronically fatigued during the day, then this could indicate that your quality of sleep has been compromised by sleep apnea. However, there is no guarantee that this sleep disorder is the cause. Again, keep track of all your symptoms as well as how you feel, and if you believe you might have sleep apnea, then see your doctor right away.
If you determine that you have several possible sleep apnea symptoms and your quality of life is affected, then you may want to see your doctor to rule out this condition. If you are diagnosed with sleep apnea, then there are viable treatments available, so there is no need to believe that you must suffer for the rest of your life. There are surgical treatments that can be explored, and even losing weight or quitting smoking can minimize or even eliminate your sleep apnea. The most important thing is to obtain a diagnosis, then you can take things from there.
