Sleep apnea is a serious condition. It is a condition wherein there is cessation of breathing for 10 seconds or more during sleep. Sleeping is vital to the well-being of a person and it is recommended that people get 8 hours of sleep each night. If you think you might have sleep apnea it should not be taken lightly. We offer a free sleep apnea survey for anyone who is interested in having their answers reviewed by a physician. The sleep apnea survey poses questions about snoring, breathing, neck size, blood pressure and if or when you find yourself dozing off. The survey can provide you with a sleep score to determine if it’s possible you have sleep apnea. Using this score your physician would determine if you require a sleep study to confirm the diagnosis of sleep apnea.
There are various side effects of sleep apnea. Because sleep apnea is experienced during sleeping most of the side effects are manifested during waking hours of the person. The most common symptom is exhaustion during the day. During sleep a person is awakened due to the cessation of breathing thus causing interrupted sleep. The brain signals the person to wake up in order to breathe again. This cycle happens repeatedly. Lack of ample sleep makes the person feel tired and sleepy during the daytime.
Moodiness, lack of concentration and irritability are also manifested from sleep apnea. With less energy due to a sleepless night, the person thrives to concentrate but all efforts are in vain. This causes the person to be more irritable and mood changes could likely follow. Temporary loss of memory can be a problem also.
Depression is common in people who experience a lack of sleep for a long period of time. This mood disorder is characterized by sadness, feeling low and helplessness. When a person without sleep is unable to do something to be able to have enough sleep this can lead to a sense of helplessness that the depression stems from.
If you or a loved one experiences any of these symptoms, we encourage you to take our free sleep apnea survey.