Sleep apnea symptoms include a great variety of typical sleep problems leaving the diagnoses only possible after sleep apnea symptoms are present for an extended amount of time. It is crucial that sleep apnea symptoms are recognized early to prevent further health problems that can cause serious discomfort and in some cases even death.

Symptoms of Sleep Apnea Detectable During Sleep
Most symptoms of sleep apnea are first recognized by a sleep partner. Few people with sleep apnea are capable of detecting their own symptoms as they are asleep when experiencing them. Some of the most common sleep apnea symptoms present while sleeping include:

  • Snoring
  • Periods of gasping
  • Choking
  • Sudden awakenings
  • Pauses in breathing

For many sufferers of sleep apnea there is a certain pattern that can be followed when witnessing the symptoms of sleep apnea. Breathing first becomes slow and shallow and stops for brief periods up to one minute and then continues. This is then followed by one or many of the common symptoms. Those with severe sleep apnea often even have serious sessions of obstructive chocking during short naps.

Symptoms of Sleep Apnea Detectable While Awake
Symptoms of sleep apnea occurring during the day are the most detectable as well as more serious in nature. Studies have shown that most are unclear of the exact cause and wait far to long to seek treatment. It is important that those experiencing the daily sleep apnea symptoms seek treatment immediately. Some of these symptoms include:

  • Memory loss
  • Reduced sex drive
  • Personality disorders
  • Daytime grogginess
  • Chronic fatigue
  • Migraine like headaches
  • Slow thinking
  • Lack of concentration

Medical Sleep Apnea Testing
Many sleep apnea symptoms can be recognized by a physician conducting special, and common tests. For most sleep apnea sufferers there is a detectable lifestyle choice that causes other health conditions leading to sleep apnea. These medical sleep apnea symptoms include:

  • High blood pressure
  • Irregular heart beat
  • Unhealthy oxygen levels causing improper airflow
  • Obesity

Using a number of sleep apnea tests a doctor can diagnose these symptoms as being sleep apnea. For more severe cases a trip to a medical sleep laboratory is necessary. The sleep apnea tests performed in a sleep laboratory include the use of an EEG machine. An EEG machine will monitor each phase of sleep paying close attention to blood pressure, heart beat, oxygen flow throughout the body, and breathing patterns. This procedure can be done once, but often must be performed every night for at least one week.

Risks of Ignoring Sleep Apnea Symptoms
Left untreated, sleep apnea symptoms can become deadly. Each symptom represents an important malfunction in the body and could lead to heart failure, stroke, dangerously high blood pressure, and in a few cases death. Physicians urge that sleep patterns be taken seriously and never dismissed. If the episodes increase to over 25 per hour, death can even occur due to the decreasing amounts of oxygen in the brain. All sufferers of obstructive sleep apnea are at great risk of having strokes, heart attacks, and high blood pressure.