Symptoms and Causes of Sleep Apnea

Sleep Apnea Signs, Symptoms and Causes

While you are asleep, gasping or snoring happens, so you won’t know that you are having problems breathing or be able to judge just how severe the problem is. This is where a family member or bed partner comes into play—they will typically notice these problems long before you do. It is important to remember, though, that not everyone who snores has sleep apnea just like not everyone with sleep apnea snores.

Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

To help you better understand sleep apnea we have put together some symptoms and causes for you to review:

• Daytime Sleepiness
• Morning headaches
• Memory or learning problems
• Not being able to concentrate
• Feeling irritable, depressed, or having mood swings or personality changes
• Waking up frequently to urinate
• Dry mouth or sore throat when you wake up

Pay close attention to these symptoms, and if you notice any, contact Dr. Sara for more information on sleep apnea in North Scottsdale.

Causes of Sleep Apnea

If you have sleep apnea, your airway can become partially or fully blocked because of the following reasons:

• Your throat muscles and tongue relax more than normal.
• Your tongue and tonsils are large compared to the opening into your windpipe.
• You are overweight.
• The shape of your head and neck may cause a smaller airway size in the mouth and throat area.
• The aging process limits your brain signals’ ability to keep your throat muscles stiff during sleep.

As a result, not enough air flows into your lungs if your airway is partially or fully blocked during sleep. In the end, you or your loved one will experience loud snoring and a drop in your blood oxygen level.