Sleep apnea symptoms include waking frequently during the night, breathing pauses while asleep, loud snoring, daytime sleepiness, and difficulty breathing through the nose that leads to mouth breathing. This common condition occurs when breathing repeatedly stops and restarts during sleep, increasing health risks if untreated. If you notice these signs, seek a proper sleep study and treatment early. Find effective CPAP machines, masks, and expert support to manage sleep apnea at CPAP Discount Warehouse start your journey to better sleep today.
What is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. People who snore loudly and feel tired even after a full night’s rest may be affected by this condition. There are three main types of sleep apnea:
+ Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA): the most common type, occurring when throat muscles relax and block airflow to the lungs.
+ Central sleep apnea (CSA): develops when the brain fails to send correct signals to the breathing muscles.
+ Complex sleep apnea (CompSA): occurs when OSA, confirmed through a sleep study, shifts to CSA during therapy for OSA.
If you suspect sleep apnea, consult a qualified health care provider. Early diagnosis and treatment can relieve symptoms and help reduce the risk of heart disease and other serious complications.
What are the symptoms of sleep apnea?
Obstructive and central sleep apnea often share similar symptoms. A medical diagnosis is required for this condition, which is characterised by loud snoring and persistent tiredness even after a full night’s sleep. People may experience a range of symptoms:
Sleep-related issues:
+ Excessive daytime sleepiness
+ Insomnia
+ Nightmares
+ Sleep deprivation
+ Snoring
Respiratory symptoms:
+ Episodes of no breathing
+ Breathing through the mouth
+ Loud breathing
Other common signs include:
+ Depression
+ Dry mouth
+ Dry throat
+ Fatigue
+ Headache
+ Irritability
+ Mood swings
+ Weight gain
Sleep apnea symptoms range from mild to severe, with the primary indicators in all cases being disrupted sleep and resulting daytime fatigue, irritability, and poor concentration. Severe symptoms also include frequent, prolonged cessations of breathing and significantly decreased oxygen levels, potentially leading to high blood pressure and increased risk of accidents. Symptoms are best categorized by the AHI (Apnea-Hypopnea Index) and severity of resulting impairments, but are not directly tied to specific symptom categories.
>>>> What is Severe Sleep Apnea Symptoms? How do you treat it?
Central sleep apnea vs Obstructive sleep apnea symptoms
Obstructive sleep apnea symptoms
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a common condition where airflow is blocked during sleep, leading to pauses in breathing and reduced blood oxygen levels. Its symptoms can manifest both while awake and asleep.
A medical diagnosis is required, with key symptoms including snoring and daytime sleepiness. People may experience:
+ Sleep: excessive daytime sleepiness, snoring, gasping during sleep, or insomnia
+ Respiratory: episodes of no breathing, breathing through the mouth, loud breathing, or shortness of breath
+ Behavioural: hyperactivity or irritability
+ Urinary: bed wetting or excessive urination at night
+ Also common: fatigue, depression, dry mouth, headache, lack of concentration, memory loss, reduced sex drive, sore throat, or teeth grinding
Central sleep apnea symptoms
Central Sleep Apnea (CSA) occurs when the brain fails to send proper signals to the respiratory muscles, resulting in pauses in breathing. Its specific symptoms include:
You may notice most central sleep apnea (CSA) symptoms while awake. The following are common signs linked to CSA:
+ Daytime sleepiness
+ Severe morning headaches
+ Dry mouth
+ Irritability
+ Trouble concentrating
If you have CSA, you may also wake suddenly during the night without a clear reason. People you live with might observe that you are restless or move frequently while sleeping.
Complex sleep apnea symptoms
Complex sleep apnea can present differently from person to person. Some individuals may experience multiple symptoms, while others may have none. Unlike OSA, snoring is not typically a common symptom of complex sleep apnea. Symptoms of complex sleep apnea may include:
+ Excessive daytime fatigue or sleepiness.
+ A sense of poor or unrefreshing sleep quality.
+ Frequent awakenings during the night.
+ Morning headaches.
+ Chest pain or discomfort.
+ Difficulty concentrating.
+ Mood changes.
12 common symptom of sleep apnea
Lound Snoring
One of the most common signs of sleep apnea is snoring. The throat tissues vibrate when airflow is obstructed through the mouth and nose. Therefore, you may experience:
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Temporary choking,
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Gasping
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Cessation of breathing
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Oxygen deprivation
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Sleep disturbances
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Overall health problems
Loud snoring is often a key indicator of obstructive sleep apnoea, becoming more pronounced with the severity of the condition. The characteristics of snoring can also help differentiate the severity of sleep apnea like mild sleep apnea, moderate sleep apnea, severe sleep apnea.
Pauses in Breathing
Breathing Pauses are one of the most important and characteristic symptoms of sleep apnea. This symptom occurs when breathing is completely interrupted for a certain period of time (usually 10 seconds or more) before the body starts breathing again.
There are three main mechanisms that cause sleep apnea symptoms:
Airway Obstruction: The muscles in the throat relax excessively, causing the airway to collapse and blocking airflow to the lungs, which is a characteristic of OSA. As a result, it causes the patient to stop breathing for a period of time. Common signs include loud snoring, choking, sudden deep breaths, and frequent awakenings without awareness.
Respiratory Control Disorder: The condition of breathing pauses occurs when the brain does not send the correct signals to the respiratory muscles, commonly seen in CSA. The accompanying signs will not include snoring, but may involve Obstructive sleep-disordered breathing (SDB)
The combination of both symptoms is a mix of airway obstruction and respiratory control disorder, occurring when treating OSA with CPAP, but CSA symptoms persist. The accompanying signs include fluctuations in breathing, which may involve both obstruction and neurological disorders.
Breathing pauses lasting from a few seconds to over 30 seconds, repeating many times throughout the night. After each pause in breathing, the following may occur:
- A strong inhalation or gasping for air.
- Choking or coughing sounds.
- The snoring is irregular, sometimes loud, sometimes soft, or it suddenly stops and then starts again.
- Some individuals may twitch, startle, or shift positions as a physiological response.
Excessive Daytime Sleepiness
Excessive Daytime Sleepiness (EDS) is a physical symptom that causes individuals to feel persistently drowsy, leading to significant impacts on the body. Some of the main effects include:
- Decreased alertness and reflexes, thereby increasing the risk of traffic accidents and mistakes in studying and working.
- Weakened immune system, making the body more susceptible to illness due to prolonged lack of sleep.
- Metabolic disorders increase the risk of obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetes.
Each time breathing stops, even if it lasts only a few seconds or even up to a minute, it disrupts the sleep cycle, preventing the body from entering deep sleep. The patient may not be fully aware of these awakenings. From there, we can identify the main cause of EDS:
- The body and brain do not have enough time to recover, which prevents them from entering deep and REM sleep.
- Chronic sleep deprivation due to continuous interrupted sleep
- The brain is not alert due to reduced oxygen levels.
Individuals with this condition often feel sleepy all the time, even after getting what should be a sufficient amount of sleep at night. They find it very difficult to stay awake during the day and frequently experience fatigue and a lack of energy, making it hard to stay active or productive.
This excessive sleepiness can cause people to fall asleep during daytime activities such as driving, working, or watching TV. They may also struggle to stay focused or alert during meetings or events, leading to decreased work performance and a noticeable loss of motivation.
Morning headaches
Morning headaches are a physical symptom, you may feel a headache as soon as you wake up, accompanied by a sense of tension and discomfort. This symptom also affects your mood, making you feel less positive when starting the new day.
Morning headaches can be caused by increased pressure on the brain, which occurs when oxygen levels drop during sleep, leading to dilation of blood vessels. They may also be triggered by poor sleep quality, resulting in carbon dioxide buildup in the body. In some cases, muscle tension from an uncomfortable sleeping position or mouth breathing during the night can also contribute to the pain.
This type of headache usually appears right after waking up and can last for several hours. The pain is often dull and heavy, typically felt in the forehead or temples. It is frequently accompanied by dry mouth or a sore throat, especially in those who breathe through the mouth while sleeping.
People often wake up with a heavy head and a feeling of fatigue. They may need to take painkillers in the morning to relieve the discomfort. The lingering pain and tiredness can make it difficult to start the day and maintain normal energy levels.
Waking up with a headache is common and may indicate problems related to sleep quality or be a symptom of sleep apnea since there are low oxygen levels and disturbed sleep. Discomfort usually results from being kept awake at night, as well as from low oxygen that accompanies the disturbance, leaving one feeling achy and tired in the morning.
Trouble Concentrating
Difficulty concentrating is a cognitive issue that affects memory and information processing speed.
Interrupted sleep can lead to cognitive decline, while low oxygen levels during the night may slow the brain’s processing speed. Over time, chronic fatigue and insomnia further erode the ability to concentrate and make sound decisions.
People may struggle to absorb new information, become forgetful, and find it hard to organize tasks. Day-to-day responses can feel slower than usual, making routine activities more effortful.
These issues show up as difficulty completing tasks that demand focus, frequently forgetting appointments or important plans, and making repeated mistakes at work and in daily life.
Anxiety at night
Mood disorders primarily affect emotions and mental health, making patients prone to irritability or depression.
Sleep deprivation can disrupt neurotransmitter balance, leading to emotional dysregulation. Poor sleep quality also raises cortisol the body’s stress hormone while inadequate blood oxygen during the night contributes to mood instability.
People may become easily irritable, with heightened anxiety and frustration, and find it hard to manage emotions and stress throughout the day.
This often shows up as frequent anger toward family or colleagues, rapid mood swings and agitation, and a sluggish, unmotivated feeling with difficulty controlling negative emotions.
Nocturnal panic attacks
Nocturia is a condition in which a person wakes up multiple times during the night to urinate, disrupting their sleep.
Besides issues related to the bladder, prostate, diabetes, high blood pressure, or the use of diuretics, nocturia is a symptom of sleep apnea. Sleep apnea occurs, disrupting sleep and stimulating the body to secrete the hormone ANP (Atrial Natriuretic Peptide), causing the kidneys to produce more urine.
Frequently waking up in the middle of the night to urinate (1–2 times or more). Interrupted sleep, affecting sleep quality.
Fatigue during the day due to poor sleep. It may be accompanied by dry mouth due to mild dehydration.
Insomnia and Restless sleep
Insomnia and Restless sleep are conditions characterized by tossing and turning, difficulty falling asleep, frequently changing positions, and waking up multiple times during the night. This disrupts sleep to be interrupted, making it difficult to maintain deep sleep and leaving one feeling as if they haven't slept at all.
Insomnia and restless sleep often stem from a mix of factors. Stress, anxiety, and depression can keep the mind overactive at night. Unhelpful habits like using a phone before bed or consuming caffeine, tea, or alcohol in the evening disrupt the body’s sleep rhythms. Breathing interruptions during sleep can also play a major role: when breathing stops, the brain senses low blood oxygen, briefly wakes you to resume breathing, and repeatedly fragments sleep. People with sleep apnea may also feel persistently anxious or tense, making it harder to fall asleep.
Common features include difficulty falling asleep or waking frequently during the night. Sleep tends to be shallow and restless, with lots of tossing and turning, and you often wake up unrefreshed despite spending enough time in bed.
By day, this can look like sleepiness and poor concentration, mood changes (e.g., irritability, anxiety), morning headaches, and a general sense of fatigue and reduced alertness after waking.
Awakening with a dry mouth
A dry mouth? Sore throat? typically results from nocturnal mouth breathing when the airway is obstructed, impeding free respiration and producing dryness plus irritation in the oral cavity and pharynx, especially upon awakening. This manifestation of sleep apnea is due to fragmented airflow, which produces dyssomnia and renders the oropharynx rough or painful on rising.
FAQs
What are sleep apnea symptoms in women?
Sleep apnea symptoms in women may include classic signs such as loud snoring, gasping during sleep, and excessive daytime sleepiness. However, women often experience more subtle and less recognised symptoms, including morning headaches, insomnia, irritability, depression, dry mouth, and restless legs. These less obvious symptoms can contribute to underdiagnosis, as they are sometimes misattributed to other conditions or overlooked.
Can sleep apnea cause adhd like symptoms?
It is estimated that about one-third of people with ADHD may also have sleep apnea. Poor sleep quality can cause symptoms such as difficulty concentrating and irritability, which resemble ADHD. As a result, individuals with sleep apnea are sometimes misdiagnosed as having ADHD.
Is dry mouth a symptom of sleep apnea?
Xerostomia, or dry mouth, is sometimes linked to sleep apnea. Research indicates that more than 30% of people with OSA experience dry mouth upon waking in the morning.
What are the most common signs of sleep apnea in children?
Obstructive sleep apnea affects an estimated 1% to 5% of children across all age groups, including babies, infants, toddlers, adolescents, and teenagers. It is most commonly diagnosed in children between 2 and 6 years of age.
Can you have sleep apnea symptoms while awake?
Although sleep apnea is often considered a sleep-related condition, breathing interruptions can also occur while awake, which may impact heart health, cognitive function, and energy levels. If you or someone you know notices these symptoms, seek advice from a qualified healthcare provider without delay.
