Sleep apnea symptoms are not that known to a lot of people. Even sleep apnea itself is still a widely researched topic. Do you know that it is a rather common disorder of sleep? It has been said that it now affects more than 10 million people in America alone. Let us try to learn more about this disorder before trying to understand its symptoms.
Sleep apnea is a broad term, since there it has subtypes. The most common is called sleep apnea. It is considered as an obstructive disorder since it results from the obstruction of the respiratory system that leads to difficulty in breathing. Another form of apnea is called central sleep-apnea, wherein the damage is in the area of the brain which controls breathing during sleep. There is also something called mixed apnea. As the name suggests, it is a combination of the symptoms of obstructive and central apnea.
Sleep disorders can happen to everyone. It can occur in infants, children, and adults of any age. People who are overweight tend to be at high risk for apnea. But nevertheless, it can occur to anyone at anytime.
The symptoms of this disorder are generally not easy to distinguish because they seem to be a part of a person's sleeping pattern. The most common and probably the most obvious is snoring. Almost all people who have sleep apnea snore, but it doesn't necessarily indicate that you have apnea once you snore.
Another symptom to spot is fatigue. Again, this is a very hard symptom to distinguish since everyone can experience fatigue. The explanation has something to do with your breathing. If you have apnea, you cease to breathe during sleep and the body is forced to wake you up to let you breathe again. Usually, when your body wakes you up, it is not enough for you to be aware that you are already awake. In short, you will have short sleep throughout the night and it will mostly be interrupted. Therefore, you will wake up in the morning feeling tired and you will eventually feel weak throughout the day.
Like any other illness or disease, apnea will also have an effect on your blood pressure. Most people who suffer from sleep apnea notice that their blood pressure increases. But this symptom is generally ignored, since a lot of people don't monitor their blood pressure everyday.
One other symptom that is not so easy to spot is problems with memory. A person who is suffering from this disorder may find it hard to remember things from the past or things that were recently learned.
Lastly, anyone who is suffering from this disorder for quite some time already will eventually experience impotence. The decline in sexual activity and function will lead to impotence.
These symptoms don't necessarily mean that you have a sleep disorder once you experience one or two symptoms. But if you think that you are experiencing all or most of it, then it's best to consult your doctor right away. Remember, sleep apnea symptoms are not easy to spot.
Sleep ApneaVal Hughes is health writer who regularly contributes to [http://mysleepapneatestinfo.com]. She also writes regularly for [http://bestteethwhiteningkitsreview.com]