Sleep Apnea Symptoms Are Not Always Easy To Spot

                                                                                         

Sleep apnea symptoms are most often seen in men over the age of forty who are overweight although they can appear at any time in both women and men and are now being seen increasingly in children.

Sleep apnea's clearest symptom is snoring which is hard to spot 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. Sleep apnea sufferers stop breathing frequentlyduring sleep and the body's natural reaction is to awaken you enough for you to begin breathing again, but not sufficiently for you to be conscious of the fact that you are being awakened. This means that your sleep is continually interrupted and therefore very light so that you do not enjoy the deep sleep which you need. As a result you become increasingly tired during the day.

If the condition is left untreated the effects of sleep apnea begin to emerge and you will start to experience additional symptoms which might include headaches (in particular first thing in the morning), irritability and even depression. You might also notice that you are beginning to gain weight.

Another less obvious sign of sleep apnea is a rise in blood pressure which can give rise to several cardiovascular problems. should you be one of the growing number of people who are starting to monitor their own blood pressure at home you will pick this up quite easily but, otherwise, it will not be discovered unless you attend the doctor to have a routine physical examination.

One further symptom is that of learning difficulties and increasing problems with memory retention. This is once again not something which is easy for you to spot yourself but other people may notice that you are no longer as quick on the uptake as you used to be.

Finally, a number of sleep apnea sufferers will experience a drop in sexual function which can eventually result in impotency.

Each of these symptoms by themselves could ne indicative of just about any problem you can think of. When you start to see these symptoms appearing together however 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.

About the author:
Visit Help-Me-To-Sleep.com for the latest information on child sleep apnea and a range of cures for insomnia


Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com