How to Tell if You Have Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a medical condition that affects over 200,000 people every year in the United States alone. Sleep apnea is broken down into obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea. Central sleep apnea is far more rare and is caused by the brain not properly sending signals to your muscles. Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common form of sleep apnea and is caused by something obstructing your breathing. This is most commonly things like your tongue, soft palate, throat, or something else. However, how do you tell if you have sleep apnea? Let’s take a look at some ways to know if sleep apnea is affecting you and the value of a sleep study.

Snoring

Snoring is one of the most common signs and symptoms of sleep apnea. Snoring in sleep apnea is caused by something obstructing the airway in some form. Your throat or mouth vibrates and makes a snoring sound as your body struggles to get air through. Your body is working harder, depending on how hard you’re snoring.

Fatigue

Sleep apnea causes restless sleep and wakes you up multiple times throughout the night. You’re likely not to remember these occurrences because you quickly fall back asleep. However, this disrupts your sleep cycle and prevents restful sleep. This leads to daytime sleepiness and fatigue.

Dry Mouth

A dry mouth, specifically in the morning, is a common sign of sleep apnea. Your body may naturally revert to mouth-breathing as you sleep to ensure proper oxygen levels. This rapidly drys your mouth out through the night.

Sleep Study

Having a sleep study done is the only way to be sure you’re experiencing sleep apnea. It can be hard to know what’s going on in your sleep, especially if you live alone. While you may be aware that you snore, you’re probably unaware of how severe it could be. That’s why Summit Healthcare Regional Medical Center provides sleep studies through its sleep center. That way, our team can assess your sleeping pattern and determine if sleep apnea is occurring. If you’re concerned that sleep apnea is affecting your life, then contact Summit Healthcare Regional Medical Center at 928-537-4375 today.