If you feel tired all day and you aren’t sure why—especially if you are spending a solid seven or eight hours in bed—this could be a sign you have sleep apnea. In fact, feeling drowsy during the day for no apparent reason is one of the main symptoms of sleep apnea.
Your Yuma sleep apnea specialist can help you identify some of the other common symptoms of sleep apnea, including the following:
You are a loud snorer.
Many times people who snore aren’t even aware of it—until they are alerted by a partner, they are keeping awake. Although snoring is a universal sign of sleep apnea, not all snorers have sleep apnea, and not all sufferers of sleep apnea are snorers.
Your partner tells you that your breathing at night seems to stop.
Even though your brain partially wakes up during these episodes, you stay mostly asleep without even realizing what is happening. These interruptions in your sleep have a negative impact on the quality of your sleep—and can be the reason behind feeling exhausted during the day.
You often are irritable or depressed.
When you are exhausted during the day because you aren’t getting quality sleep the night before, you might feel irritable or even depressed. You can also be prone to mood swings.
You frequently wake up with a headache.
Many sufferers of sleep apnea complain of headaches in the morning. Because of less oxygen going to the brain at night, which in turn is caused by the periodic cessation of breathing. Low oxygen can mean blood vessels widen, which causes vascular headaches.
You are overweight or obese.
Excess body weight can have a direct link to sleep apnea, especially if neck circumference is 17 inches or more in men and 16 inches or more in women. Fatty tissue in the neck can block airways, causing restrictions in breathing while you sleep. Learn about treating sleep apnea without a CPAP.
Sleep Apnea Treatment in Yuma, AZ
If you have symptoms of sleep apnea, call your Yuma dentist Dr. Sam Carroll. Leaving sleep apnea untreated can lead to other health problems, including heart failure, stroke, and diabetes. Call us today!
