If you snore loudly and experience pauses in your breathing during sleep, you may have sleep apnoea. Still, you would need a proper diagnosis, usually via a sleep study, to properly confirm if you have this condition.
We have compiled a comprehensive symptom checklist to look out for, including what causes sleep apnoea and when to seek help.
What Is Sleep Apnoea?
Sleep apnoea is a sleep disorder that causes repetitive pauses in your breathing while you sleep, disrupting oxygen flow. The most common type is obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), in which the throat muscles collapse many times during sleep. Factors like excess weight, smoking, and diabetes may increase your risk for OSA.
A less common type is central sleep apnoea (CSA). It occurs when the brain fails to send the proper signals to the muscles controlling breathing. Risk factors for CSA include heart disorders, opioid use, a stroke, or a brain tumour.
Symptom Checklist
Loud snoring: A common symptom of sleep apnoea, but not exclusive to it.
Night sweats: Frequent night sweats may be linked to undiagnosed sleep apnoea. A study from Iceland found that people with untreated OSA were three times more likely to experience regular night sweats compared to the general population. The body’s repeated stress response to interrupted breathing is believed to be the cause.
Mood changes: Poor sleep may cause you to be irritable and experience mood swings.
Morning headaches: This is due to the drop in oxygen and buildup of carbon dioxide in the body.
Dry mouth or sore throat: Often due to mouth breathing during sleep.
Nocturia (frequent nighttime urination): Linked to hormone imbalance from disrupted sleep.
Bruxism (teeth grinding): May occur as the body tries to reposition the tongue and reopen the airway.
Sleep paralysis: Disturbed sleep patterns may lead to episodes where the individual cannot speak or move while waking up or falling asleep.
Sleepwalking: Disturbed deep sleep stages from apnoea may trigger episodes of walking while still asleep.
Decreased libido: Lowered sex drive, often linked to fatigue caused by sleep apnoea.
Insomnia: Difficulty falling or staying asleep can occur due to frequent breathing pauses.
When to Seek Help
If any of these symptoms become persistent, see your doctor immediately. Untreated sleep apnoea can significantly affect your daily life and may also cause high blood pressure and heart disease.
Although sleep apnoea is a serious condition, “it is also highly treatable. The key is early detection and consistent management,” said Dr. Christopher Allen, a board-certified sleep medicine physician, paediatric neurologist, and sleep science advisor at Aeroflow Sleep in an interview by Forbes.
So, it’s best to diagnose and treat it early. Even if your symptoms match, see your doctor for a proper diagnosis.
Takeaways for You
Loud snoring is one of the most common symptoms of sleep apnoea. However, night sweats and bruxism are lesser-known symptoms to look out for. Your GP may recommend a sleep study to help confirm that your symptoms indicate sleep apnoea.
A sleep study monitors and records bodily functions while you sleep, including brain waves, heart rate, breathing, oxygen levels, and movements. If sleep apnoea is diagnosed, treatment is typically done with a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine.
At CPAP Adelaide, we make OSA diagnosis easy and simple. We offer at-home sleep studies and expert guidance from local professionals. Looking for a CPAP machine for hire in Adelaide? Check out our services here.
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