How to Recognize Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a type of sleep disorder that occurs when a person encounters breathing problems while sleeping. It can be classified into two types--the obstructive sleep apnea or the central sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea happens when the throat muscles of the person relax during sleep and block the airway passage. Central sleep apnea occurs when there is a problem on the respiratory center of the brain and fails to transmit proper signals to muscles that control breathing. In some cases, people may experience both types of sleep apneas (complex sleep apnea). These types of sleeping problems can affect individuals of any age, even children. However, it is more prevalent among males, those who are 40 or older and those who are overweight.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Listen carefully to your partner's breathing when he sleeps. It is typical for individuals with sleep apnea to suffer from frequent episodes of on-and-off breathing. You may notice abnormal intervals of him breathing in one second and not breathing in the next.

2. Observe how often your partner snores. Loud snoring is commonly heard on persons with sleep apnea--especially those who are suffering from obstructive sleep apnea.

3. Notice how frequently your partner wakes up to catch her breath. Your partner may often gasp for air as she sleeps. Sometimes she may feel like she's being choked and will suddenly wake up because of that. Also, she may sweat a lot when she wakes up during the night. This is common among those who suffer from complex sleep apnea.

4. Keep an eye on your partner's condition when he wakes up. Your partner may wake up tired and weak after a difficult and uncomfortable sleep during the night. He may also complain of having a sore or dry throat and headache the moment he's up.

5. Take note of your partner's sleeping habits. She may suffer from excessive sleepiness during the day (hypersomnia) due to a bad night's sleep. She may also have a difficulty in staying asleep during the night (insomnia) due to a hampered breathing.

6. Monitor changes in his behavioral and mental state. You may notice some changes in your partner's personality as a result of not having a good sleep. He may often have mood swings, may feel depressed, irritable and impatient at times. His mental functions may also be disturbed due to a repetitive restless and irregular patterns of sleep--his judgment may poor, his concentration may be impaired and he may easily forgets things.

Tips & Warnings

• Not all snoring issues are related to sleep apnea. However, if snoring is loud enough to disturb others, make sure to talk to your doctor about it--especially when it is associated with cessations of breathing.
• It is advisable to sleep on your side or use a certain type of pillow (cervical pillow) to reduce sleep apnea.
• If any of the symptoms mentioned above become severe, contact your doctor.

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