Sleep apnea, commonly known as disruption of breathing while a sleep, is an illusory sleep disorder as 85% of people who have sleep apnea don't know that they have it. Though incidents of gasping for air or choking might occur hundreds of times throughout the night, a patient may not have any recollection of struggling for breath. It is the closest family members or the bed partner who usually first notice that the patient is struggling to breathe. If not treated appropriately, this common disorder can be life-threatening as well.
Warning Signs and Symptoms of Sleep Apnea are:
- Gasping or choking during sleep to get air into the lungs
- Regular silences during sleep due to breaks in breathing
- Loud snoring
- Sudden awakenings to resume breathing
- Waking up in a sweat
- Daytime sleepiness and feeling unrefreshed by a night’s sleep
- Falling asleep at inappropriate times
- Morning uneasiness or headaches
- Learning issues or memory problems
- Feeling irritable, depressed, or having frequent mood swings or personality changes
- Frequent urination at night
- Dry throat upon awakening
Children can be affected by sleep apnea in the form of poor school performance, hyperactivity and aggressiveness. Children who have sleep apnea also may breathe through their mouths instead of their noses during the day and generally sleep in unusual positions.
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