Sleep Apnea Symptoms

The actual symptoms of sleep apnea when it’s occurring are:

• Very loud snoring
• Episodes of long pauses of interrupted breathing during sleep
• Possibly struggling, snorting, gasping, choking, and partially or completely awakening in an attempt to restart breathing

Symptoms that occur as a result of these episodes of sleep apnea include:

• Disturbed rest
• Daytime sleepiness
• Problems staying alert or paying attention
• Irritability
• Poor memory
• Difficulty learning
• Decreased energy
• Headache
• Sexual problems
• Depression
• Mood swings
• Anxiety
• Weight gain
• Hyperactivity in children
• High blood pressure
• Heart disease and heart attack
• Stroke
• Confusion
• Increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in babies

References:

Being evaluated for sleep apnea. American Sleep Apnea Association website. Available at: http://www.sleepapnea.org/resources/pubs/evaluated.html . Published May 2005. Accessed September 17, 2008.

Cecil R, Goldman L, Benett JC. Cecil Textbook of Medicine.21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: WB Saunders Company; 2000.

Fact sheet: could my child have sleep apnea? American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery website. Available at: http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/Could-Child-Have-Sleep-Apnea.cfm . Accessed September 17, 2008.

NINDS sleep apnea information page. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke website. Available at: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/sleepapnea/sleepapnea.htm . Updated June 2008. Accessed September 17, 2008.

What is sleep apnea? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute website. Available at: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/SleepApnea/SleepApnea_WhatIs.html . Updated February 2008. Accessed September 17, 2008.