Sleep Apnea Symptoms are Not Always Easy to Spot

The symptoms of sleep apnea are most frequently observed in men overweight men above the age of forty but they can appear at any time in both women and men and are now being seen more and more in children.

The most obvious symptom of sleep apnea is snoring which is hard to spot by yourself and usually needs to be pointed out to you by a sleeping partner. There are many reasons for snoring and the simple fact that you snore does not itself mean that you are suffering from sleep apnea. However, the majority of sleep apnea sufferers snore.

The next most obvious symptom of sleep apnea is excessive daytime tiredness. People who suffer from sleep apnea stop breathing frequentlywhile sleeping and the body's natural reaction is to wake you enough for you to begin breathing again, but not sufficiently for you to be aware that you are being awakened. This means that your sleep is constantly interrupted and therefore very light so that you do not enjoy the deep sleep that you need. The result of this is that you become increasingly tired during the day.

If left untreated the effects of sleep apnea begin to appear and you will start to experience further symptoms that may include headaches (particularly first thing in the morning), bad temper and depression. You may also notice that you are beginning to gain weight.

Yet another not quite so obvious sign of sleep apnea is an increase in blood pressure that can give rise to several cardiovascular problems. If you are one of the growing number of people who are starting to monitor their blood pressure regularly at home then you will detect this quite easily but, it not, it will not be found unless and until you visit the doctor's office to have a routine physical.

One further symptom is that of learning difficulties and growing problems with memory retention. Once again this is not something that is easy for you to notice yourself but others around you may notice that you are not as quick on the uptake as you once were.

Finally, some sufferers from sleep apnea will notice a decline in sexual function that can eventually lead to impotency.

Each of these symptoms in isolation can of course point to just about any problem you care to mention. When you start to notice these symptoms appearing together however then there is a good chance that you are suffering from sleep apnea and you should talk to your doctor and think about being tested for sleep apnea.

Visit Help-Me-To-Sleep.com for the latest information on sleep apnea and tips to cure insomnia.