Do I Have Sleep Apnea?: 5 Telltale Signs You Might Be Suffering

What is Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that affects more than 20 million Americans every year. It's a dangerous disorder because it causes those who have it to stop breathing when they're sleeping at night.

If left untreated, there are side effects that those with sleep apnea can suffer from. They can be forced to deal with high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation, and even stroke.

Do you suspect you might have sleep apnea? You should seek treatment right away to prevent it from taking a toll on you.

You should also learn more about sinusitis, which is a condition that can cause swelling in your nose and lead to sleep apnea over time.

What are the 5 telltale signs you might be suffering from sleep apnea.

1. You're Extremely Tired on a Regular Basis

If you have sleep apnea, your upper airway gets blocked from time to time throughout the course of a night. This makes it difficult for you to breathe and will often disrupt your normal sleep cycle.

In some cases, you might be able to regain your breath while you're still asleep. In others, you might wake up out of nowhere gasping for breath.

Either way, sleep apnea can make it very hard for you to sleep through the night. As a result, you'll usually be very tired when you wake up in the morning.

That tiredness will continue throughout the day, and the fatigue will often get to be worse and worse. As you might imagine, going through this day after day can get old quick and leave you wondering if you'll ever feel like yourself again.

Getting treatment for sleep apnea or finding out if you have a condition like sinusitis is the only way to start sleeping regularly so that you're not always tired.

2. You Snore at Night and Interrupt Others with Your Snoring

People snore for all kinds of reasons at night. Some snore because they sleep in strange positions, while others snore because they're overweight.

If you snore on a daily basis and can't seem to get it to stop no matter how you lay or how much weight you lose, sleep apnea could be your real problem.

Often times, those with sleep apnea don't even realize they have it. It's not until their significant other suffer through night after night of snoring that they ask their doctor about their snoring.

At that point, many doctors will recommend further testing. Many times, they'll find that sleep apnea is the root of the snoring. Or they'll find that sinus problems are the real culprit for their sleep issue.

Has your partner told you that you snore incessantly at night? Try talking to your doctor about what you can do to stop it. It could very well be an undiagnosed case of sleep apnea or sinusitis that needs to be treated right away.

3. You Wake Most Mornings with a Headache

Do you wake up almost every morning with a painful headache?

You might think it's a sign you need to drink more water. You also might be under the impression that it's an indication you just need to eat.

But in fact, morning headaches could be one of the other side effects of sleep apnea. If you routinely wake up with headaches in the morning, you should consider the possibility that sleep apnea could be to blame.

Those with sleep apnea will get morning headaches a lot because, when their upper airway is blocked at night, it prevents oxygen from reaching their brains. That leads to headaches when they wake up.

4. You Struggle to Concentrate During the Day and Suffer From Memory Loss

A lack of oxygen at night could lead to more than just morning headaches. In fact, the headaches could end up being the least of your concerns in the long run.

Once the headaches subside, those with sleep apnea are often left to deal with concentration issues throughout the day as well as memory loss. This is, again, because of the oxygen deprivation that their brains endure when they're sleeping.

The lack of oxygen that sleep apnea sufferers deal with at night can make it very hard for them to think straight during the day. It can also cause them to forget things they wouldn't otherwise lose track of.

Some people with sleep apnea will even appear dazed and confused after a particularly rough night. It's a difficult way to live life.

5. You're Often Irritable, Anxious, and Even Depressed

If you're not able to get enough sleep at night, your mental health is likely going to suffer because of it.

You may not necessarily realize it, but you'll become more irritable with other people when you're sleep deprived. You won't have a lot of patience and will be quick to lash out at those who make you angry.

Some people with sleep apnea will also struggle with anxiety. This can be especially harmful if they already have anxiety problems that they're trying to manage. Those problems can get noticeably worse over time and make it hard for people to function.

Maybe worst of all, sleep apnea is also known to cause depression to set in for some people. It can change people's entire outlooks on life and cause them to see the future in a different way than before.

It's why treating sleep apnea is so important. When left untreated, it can really wreak havoc on a person's mind and, in some cases, ruin their lives.

Do I Have Sleep Apnea? Sinus Surgery Could Help

If you've asked yourself, "Do I have sleep apnea?", at some point in the last few months, you probably have good reason to believe you could be suffering for it. You should talk to a doctor about it immediately.

You should also be aware of the fact that your real problem might lie in your sinuses. Chronic sinusitis is a condition that could potentially cause you to suffer from sleep apnea if you don't get a handle on it. And by undergoing sinus surgery, you might be able to improve both your sleep at night and your overall quality of life.

Make an appointment with a top-rated otolaryngologist, better known as an ear, nose, and throat doctor, today to see how they can help open your nasal cavities up and prevent sleep apnea from making your nights a nightmare.