Sleep Apnea: Signs, Symptoms and What to Do
By Rebecca Braden, PA
Sleep apnea is extremely common nowadays. And if you caught Amy Poehler’s recent “Good Hang” episode, she and famous comedian Jack Black both recently shared their sleep apnea struggles and their love for their CPAP machines. [Watch Amy and Jack discuss sleep apnea and CPAP machines here]
And what I loved about this episode, is that it also helps shed some light on the truth of sleep apnea: (1) it’s not just related to weight; and (2) many men and women struggle with sleep apnea and find treating it improves their sleep quality and overall health and wellness (including weight, mood and energy levels).
What is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is one of the most common sleep disorders nowadays, and it’s characterized by pauses in breathing during sleep. This often looks like you are waking up feeling like you are choking or can’t breathe, needing to change sleeping positions a lot to breathe comfortably, and being fatigued more than usual.
There are three types of sleep apnea as well:
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA): The most common type of sleep apnea, obstructive sleep apnea is when your airway becomes blocked, such as by the tongue, soft palate, or tonsils.
Central sleep apnea: With central sleep apnea, your brain is failing to send signals to the muscles responsible for controlling breathing, which results in apneas during sleep.
Complex sleep apnea: This type of sleep apnea is a combination of obstructive and central sleep apnea
Some people don’t realize they have sleep apnea until a partner says something or a physician conducts a sleep study or reviews remote patient data alongside a physical exam and discussion with the patient.
Signs and Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
Diagnosing sleep apnea is interesting ,and often times patients will reveal they may be struggling with sleep apnea indirectly – by letting us know they’re waking up a lot at night, feeling exhausted in the morning, or waking up with a dry mouth.
When diagnosing sleep apnea, we are starting with a physical exam and open discussion. This helps us reveal potential signs and trends that point to sleep apnea, and it helps us determine what our next steps. We also look at any health data the patient has on-hand. For example, if you have a Whoop, Garmin, Oura ring, or Apple Watch, we can use that data to help track and analyze sleep and related biometrics.
Signs of sleep apnea we see in patients most
What are some of the most common signs of sleep apnea we see in patients (or patients mention to us)?
They may have enlarged tonsils, which can obstruct their airways and cause sleep apnea
They say they have issues sleeping – staying asleep, sleeping through the night, getting good sleep
They are waking up with a headache
Loud snoring
Their partner says they stop breathing in their sleep and/or wake up a lot
Sleep data shows constant disruption or low-quality sleep
Other symptoms of sleep apnea to watch for
Some other common signs and symptoms of sleep apnea include:
Gasping or choking during sleep
Daytime sleepiness or fatigue
Dry mouth and sore throat
Irritability or mood changes
Difficulty concentrating and focusing
Poorer performance at work, school, or other activities and tasks
Falling asleep during the day
Night sweats
High blood pressure
Acid reflux
What’s also key to note, is that some people may experience only mild symptoms. Often when this happens, sleep apnea gets confused for something else. For example, you may think you just ate something that disagreed with you, you’re stressed at work, or the house didn’t get cool enough to sleep comfortably.
Who Gets Sleep Apnea?
Let’s bust the biggest sleep apnea myth right now – that sleep apnea is because of being overweight. Nope, it’s not. Can obesity cause sleep apnea? Yes! But is sleep apnea only occurring in people who are overweight? Nope!
Individuals of all sizes and demographics can get sleep apnea. Now there are some statistics that show us some people are more likely to struggle with sleep apnea than others though.
Facts about sleep apnea and who gets it:
Men are more likely to get sleep apnea than women. The American Thoracic Society notes that sleep apnea is estimated to affect up to 20% of men vs only 10% of women.
Older adults are more likely to have sleep apnea. Similar to other conditions, the prevalence and risk of sleep apnea increases with age, especially for individuals over 60.
Existing health conditions can increase the risk of sleep apnea including heart disease, stroke, and hypothyroidism.
Genetics: People with a family history of sleep apnea are more likely to develop it as sleep apnea can be hereditary.
Other factors that increase the risk of sleep apnea include smoking and alcohol consumption, if you have a naturally small airway or narrow jawline, or if you have large tonsils or adenoids.
Treatments for Sleep Apnea
Today, there are multiple options for treating sleep apnea. And in fact, when we talk with patients about treatment options, a CPAP machine is not always our first step. The treatment for sleep apnea we recommend trying first ultimately depends on the underlying type of sleep apnea and the patient’s individual symptoms and struggles.
Some sleep apnea treatment options include:
Adjusting sleeping positions: sometimes when we talk with patients, it’s possible that adjusting their sleeping position may solve the issue. Some patients for example, may have sleep apnea if they sleep on their right side or on their back, but no on their left. In this case, we recommend trying adjusted sleep positions as a first step and evaluating sleep data and feedback from the patient before moving on to a CPAP machine or other option.
Oral appliance therapy: using a custom-made appliance that fits over your teeth to prevent your airway from collapsing
Surgery or implantable devices: in some cases, some patients may benefit or wish to consider surgery to remove excess tissues or alter the structure of their airway. There are also now implantable devices available for sleep apnea that would prevent the need for a CPAP machine or other appliance.
CPAP Machine: The most well-known option for treating sleep apnea, a CPAP machine is a machine that delivers continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) through a mask to keep your airway open during sleep. There are many different CPAP machine designs now too to offer more comfort, and personalized flexibility of choice.
Why You Should Not Ignore Sleep Apnea
If wearing a CPAP machine is putting you off treating sleep apnea, that could really hurt you down the line. In fact, when left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to other serious health problems or compound existing ones. Sleep apnea, when ignored, can result in or worsen heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.
Moreover, ignoring sleep apnea can make it harder to lose weight, harm your metabolism, make anxiety and depression worse, and cause a cascade of other physical and mental health issues all stemming from a continued lack of high-quality sleep. In the case of OSA, ignoring sleep apnea could even result in sudden death.
Let Us Help You Improve Your Sleep
If you are struggling with sleep, or think you may be dealing with sleep apnea, set up an appointment with our team today with our easy-to-use online scheduling tool. We’ll help you look at your existing sleep routine and experiences, analyze sleep data, and work with you to decide a plan of action for getting you back on a good-night-sleep routine.
