What Are the Most Common Symptoms of Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is unlike many health conditions in the fact that it’s going on while you’re unconscious. That fact alone means it might be hard to figure out on your own whether you’re dealing with the disorder! Don’t worry: All hope isn’t lost. Most of the common symptoms of sleep apnea can be detected after you wake up, or by someone who is around you while you’re sleeping, like a partner you share a bed with. If you think you might suffer with sleep apnea, these are the common signs to look out for:
Loud or Frequent Snoring
It’s important to remember that just because someone is snoring one night doesn’t automatically mean they have sleep apnea. It could be because they’re dealing with a cold or some allergies, or maybe they just consumed a lot of alcohol. That being said, loud snoring or snoring that happens quite often is a common occurrence in those with sleep apnea.
Daytime Fatigue or Sleepiness
When someone suffers with sleep apnea, they’re experiencing pauses in their breathing, which means they’re brain isn’t getting as much oxygen throughout the night. That can lead to feeling particularly tired or sleepy the next day. This can be a frustrating symptom for people who think they’re getting plenty of hours of sleep each night, but in reality it’s not the uninterrupted, restful sleep they truly need.
Morning Headaches and/or Dry Mouth
Headaches after you wake up are another symptom caused by a lack of oxygen as you sleep. Another sign to look out for in the morning is whether or not you have a dry mouth. Sleep apnea may cause mouth breathing, and sleeping with your mouth open in turn can leave you with a dry mouth when you wake up.
Choking or Gasping for Air During Sleep
Those who suffer from sleep apnea might experience the alarming symptom of waking up because they’re choking or gasping for air. Once again, this connects back to the fact that sleep apnea inhibits smooth oxygen flow while someone is slumbering.
Sleep Apnea Treatment at Red Oak Family Dentistry
If these sleep apnea symptoms are ringing a bell and you’d like to get checked out, contact Red Oak Family Dentistry. Our team of dental experts in McKinney, Texas provides sleep apnea evaluations as well as sleep apnea treatment. We’d love to help you!