Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder that causes people to stop breathing while they are sleeping. These pauses typically last from a few seconds to a few minutes and can occur up to 30 times or more an hour. Sleep apnea can affect anyone, but it is most common in people who are overweight.

Here are the symptoms of sleep apnea:

Snoring

Snoring is a common symptom of sleep apnea; however, it’s only one of the many symptoms that you may experience if you suffer from the disorder. If you snore loudly and frequently wake yourself up during the night, then you could be suffering from obstructive sleep apnea.

When you sleep with a blocked airway, your brain will sense the lack of oxygen and breathing and awaken you just enough to breathe again. These frequent arousals throughout the night prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep. However, some people with untreated snoring issues do tend to wake up feeling as though they’ve had a restful night’s sleep, even if they never really got one.

The constant waking and inability to get proper rest because of snoring can lead to daytime sleepiness, which can affect your professional and personal life. Being tired during the day can cause you to become less productive at work or at school and even more prone to accidents. If your snoring is left untreated for a long period of time, it can even increase your risk of having heart disease.

Excessive Daytime Sleepiness

If you’ve been diagnosed with sleep apnea, chances are you’ve experienced some excessive daytime sleepiness and have not been aware of it. This drowsiness may cause you to fall asleep at your desk or while driving your car. You might also nod off during meetings or even while eating lunch. Interrupted sleep affects the quality of rest you get at night. This can lead to poor quality of life.

Breathing Cessations

Another serious symptom of sleep apnea is breathing cessations. Patients who suffer from sleep apnea may stop their breathing several times throughout the night. This is dangerous because it may result in a lack of oxygen to the brain and heart. Interruptions in sleep can increase the risks of heart disease and stroke.

Unexplained Morning Headaches

It’s common for people with sleep apnea to wake up with a headache or feel one coming on throughout the day. This is especially true if you’ve been sleeping through the night but are still waking up too early due to apnea episodes.

These headaches can be the result of blood draining from your head, which can happen when your airway is narrowed, and your breathing pauses for a significant period of time. This can cause the blood vessels in your brain to swell and push against your skull. As a result, you may experience a dull headache in the morning that goes away after you’ve woken up. 

To find out more about the dental services offered at One and Truly Dental, call (516)-759-0086 or schedule an online consultation. You can also visit us at 70 Glen St, #240 Glen Cove, NY, 11542.