We all know that a little bit of snoring here and there is perfectly normal. So how do you know when it’s snoring that you’re dealing with and when it’s sleep apnea?
Rest assured, we get this question all the time. And the answer is that while a formal diagnosis has to be done by us here in the office, you may be able to get a better idea of which scenario you are dealing with simply by answering a few questions at home.
Here are some of the most commonly reported symptoms of sleep apnea. Do you experience any (or several) of these? If so, give us a quick call and we can schedule a consultation to diagnose (or rule out) and treat your condition.
- Snoring with pauses, after which choking or gasping follow. Ask a bed partner to observe your sleep habits or set up a recorder overnight.
- Excessive sleepiness (falling asleep) during the day. This happens because the breathing pauses during the night cause your brain to repeatedly disturb your sleep just enough to make you start breathing again. Consequently, you never spend enough time in the restful part of sleep to be fully rested the next day.
- Memory problems, concentration problems
- Headaches, especially in the morning
- Frequent trips to the bathroom during the night
- Dry mouth in the morning
- Moodiness, irritability and depression
While sleep apnea is a fairly common sleep disorder, it is an important one to tackle because it can cause damage to the organs over time. Treatment options range from CPAP machines that give pressurized oxygen while you sleep to surgery.
If you think that you may have sleep apnea, please don’t hesitate to contact us for a consultation.