Sleep apnea is a condition under which the breathing pattern of an individual is altered when he/she is sleeping. While a person not affected by this condition sleeps fitfully, an individual with a case of untreated sleep apnea is unable to sleep soundly because the breathing during sleeping is interrupted.
There are breathing pauses, which might leave one gasping for breath all of a sudden. At other times, there could be shallow breathing with the pauses in breathing lasting ten to twenty seconds.
There is evidence that having sleep apnea can lead to many health problems.
The most significant effects of sleep apnea are:
- Daytime drowsiness
- Increased risk of falling asleep driving and motor vehicle accidents and death
- Heart failure
- Stroke,
- Diabetes
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Depression
Sleep apnea is best diagnosed by a sleep study in a sleep lab.
Sleep apnea symptoms are only visible when one is asleep. Therefore, one has to take help of his/her partner in identifying these symptoms. However, if one sleeps alone, he/she can record his/her sleep to identify symptoms of this disorder.
Snoring is one sign, which identifies it; however, not all those who snore are afflicted by the problem. In other cases, those having sleep apnea might not be snoring at all. Therefore, besides the normal sleep apnea symptoms during the night one has to consider the other symptoms visible during the daytime.
Un-treated sleep apnea may exist for years but it is a condition, which needs to be quickly redressed. Therefore, as soon as one notices certain symptoms, he/she can consult a doctor for the treatment of the same.