Three Annoying Symptoms Associated with Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea (OSA) is a potentially serious condition, as there are concerns other than disrupted sleep. The condition presents with several symptoms. The sufferer may not notice any of these symptoms. However, parents, a partner or a spouse may witness what your body goes through each night.

Noticeable OSA symptoms can disrupt sleep. Waking up frequently at night may indicate that you suffer from the condition. Disruption experiences will vary from person to person. A sleep study can document and lead to a diagnosis based on your symptoms.

Coughing at Night

As you settle down for bed, you may experience the urge to cough. An irritation or tickle in the throat typically presents when you are lying down. Sufferers of sleep apnea may also find that this symptom presents when lying in a particular position.

Coughing can prevent you from getting to sleep or disrupt your rest. As you breathe deeply through the nose, the throat is irritated. Recent studies have also identified a potential link between coughing at night and acid reflux, which is linked to OSA.

Disrupted Breathing

There are several conditions that can cause disordered breathing, including obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea. Disordered breathing in OSA results from the relaxing of the throat muscles and palate. This can cause you to stop breathing numerous times throughout the night.

Central sleep apnea is associated with improper signals sent from the brain. You will likely experience disruption multiple times in a sleep cycle. As a condition, central sleep apnea is less common than OSA. However, you may benefit from continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), bilevel positive airway pressure (BPAP) and adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV).

Snoring

When your airways are obstructed during sleep, snoring is one of the symptoms you are likely to experience. Your partner or family members may experience disrupted sleep due to the noise. There are effective treatment options for snoring, and seeking help can lead to a diagnosis of sleep apnea.

Loud snoring can also wake sufferers of sleep apnea. If you know that your snoring is disrupting the sleep of others, it can create a negative psychological association with the symptom. Treatments that open the airways can reduce or eliminate snoring.

If you are concerned about symptoms associated with sleep apnea, reach out to Atlanta Sleep Apnea Treatment Center today.