Sleep apnea is a serious condition and proper diagnosis of it is important to ensure the health of the person suspected of suffering from it. Left too late complications can arise so please get help as soon as possible.
Sleep apnea symptoms can be present in men, women, and even children.
Sleep Apnea Symptoms And Treatment
The symptoms for obstructive sleep apnea include the following:
- Sleepiness during the day.
- Legs swelling.
- Nocturia – getting up to urinate at night.
- Chest pain and sweating while sleeping.
- A sour taste within the mouth and/heartburn at night.
- Tossing and turning restlessly during sleep.
- Gasping or choking spells at night.
- Headaches in the morning or throughout the night.
More Symptoms
At least half of adults with sleep apnea complain of headaches. Waking up feeling unrested and not refreshed after a full sleep, struggling with with concentration, feeling tired, loss of memory, and undergoing personality changes.
Others may notice sleep apnea symptoms which include:
Episodes of apnea (not breathing), may manifest just 5 times in one hour (mild apnea) up to as much as 50 times withing one hour (severe apnea). However many episodes a person experiences will determine how severe the sleep apnea has become.
Snoring loudly. Almost all people with poor sleep apnea health will snore, but that does not mean all those who snore suffer from sleep apnea.
Children’s Sleep Apnea Symptoms
A child’s symptoms of sleep disorders will depend on the child’s age. Symptoms visible in kids needing sleep apnea treatment include:
Children of less than 5 years will manifest symptoms including mouth breathing, snoring, restlessness, sweating, and waking up frequently.
Children older than 5 years will show symptoms including wetting the bed, snoring, not doing well in their studies, and not appearing to grow as fast as other kids their age. Limited attention spans often are part of a sleep apnea diagnosis and often include behavior issues.
Sleep apnea will cause kids to almost always snore, but they might not look over tired throughout the day (which, however, is the signature sign of this disease in an adult). For some kids, the only noticeable symptom may be their apparent inability to grow as fast as others in their respective age group.
While it may be rare, according to certain information, sleep apnea in kids may cause delays in physical development, even to the extent of causing the heart’s right side to fail (cor pulmonale).
Hypothyroidism (effects of an under-active thyroid) and other conditions can present symptoms similar but by different causes. Sleep apnea look-alikes include narcolepsy (suddenly falling asleep) and restless legs syndrome (an urge to continually move the legs).
High Blood Pressure And Sleep Apnea
High blood pressure – A red flag for central sleep apnea:
The cessation of breathing during the night stresses the heart as often as the body lacks an oxygen recharge. The body’s sympathetic system activates as oxygen saturation within the blood decreases and issues with apnea continue. Adrenaline and nerve signals go to the circulatory system to cause it to constrict and the heart to overwork itself.
Under this pressure blood gets sent to the muscles and brain tissue when the vessels constrict. Increased blood pressure makes the heart work even harder to keep pumping blood down those constricted arteries. Usually at night the heart gets a break and goes into a relaxed mode.
The lower amount of oxygen charging the blood cells and the constricted vessels force the heart to work too hard and sustain more stress.
Risk Of High Blood Pressure
Forty-five percent of those who have obstructive sleep apnea yet do not manifest high blood pressure will develop it usually within four years. Treatments for sleep apnea will help the blood pressure to reduce. With caution and careful treatment, one can cope with this condition.