Sleep apnoea symptoms and signs

Sleep apnoea is when your breathing repeatedly stops and starts while you’re sleeping. It can disrupt your sleep at night and make you feel tired during the day. When left undiagnosed and untreated, it can lead to serious health issues. Because sleep apnoea signs are sometimes mild, it can be tough to know if you have the disorder.¹

Once you’re aware of your sleep apnoea symptoms, it’s a good idea to visit your doctor and explain what’s happening. Learn more about how to recognise sleep apnoea symptoms and when to see your doctor for help.

Common symptoms of sleep apnoea

One of the most recognisable and common sleep apnoea symptoms is snoring–especially snoring that’s loud enough to wake you or your bed partner up. Other symptoms of sleep apnoea include²:

• Gasping for air during sleep
• Morning headaches
• Waking up with a dry mouth or sore throat
• Feeling irritated throughout the day
• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Difficulty staying asleep
• Trouble paying attention or concentrating during the day

Many of these symptoms occur because sleep apnoea doesn’t allow you to get the rest your body needs. Without enough sleep, you could have trouble remembering important things and even controlling your emotions. Symptoms like irritability, headaches and difficulty concentrating can affect your ability to do your job and keep up with your responsibilities, lowering your overall quality of life.

These symptoms can take a toll on your career, personal relationships and emotional well-being. Sleep apnoea can also lead to the development of serious health issues.

If you have sleep apnoea, you’re more likely to develop inflammation³ throughout your entire body. This can have long-term effects on your cardiovascular system. It can also damage blood vessels throughout the body, potentially increasing the risk of kidney disease, vision problems and type 2 diabetes.

Signs of sleep apnoea to watch for

Unfortunately, the signs of sleep apnoea are not always noticeable, and symptoms may differ between men and women. Your bed partner may spot irregular breathing patterns and moments when you stop breathing completely during the night. However, other sleep apnoea signs are more subtle or can be mistaken for symptoms of other conditions. These may include²:

• Night sweats
• Restless sleep
• Frequent wakeups
• Daytime fatigue
• Headaches
• Trouble concentrating
• Mood changes
• Chronic acid reflux⁴

You don’t need to have all of these symptoms to be diagnosed with sleep apnoea. Some symptoms may be so mild that you could easily miss them. If you suspect that you may have sleep apnoea, make an appointment with your doctor. Your doctor may refer you to a specialist for testing to help them make a diagnosis. From there, you and your doctor will work together to build a treatment plan.

Sleep apnoea and daytime fatigue

One of the most worrisome sleep apnoea symptoms is daytime fatigue. Everyone has days when they’re tired after not sleeping well. But if you have sleep apnoea, this becomes the norm. Simple activities can become a struggle, and you may find it difficult to stay awake as you drive, work or even watch TV.

Since sleep apnoea causes you to wake up repeatedly during the night, your body doesn’t get the deep sleep it needs to function properly. People with severe OSA will experience repeated episodes of breathing cessation, followed by resumption over the night, occurring up to 30 times per hour.² This interruption in sleep patterns can have serious consequences. For one thing, you could put yourself and others in danger by driving while exhausted, risk falling asleep at the wheel⁵ and causing a serious accident.

When you don’t get enough sleep, your concentration and memory suffer. That’s because the lack of rest impacts cognitive processes in your brain. Poor sleep reduces your attention span while also making it difficult to remember what you hear or see. This can make it harder to do your job, complete your schoolwork or carry out other responsibilities.

Lack of sleep can affect cognitive flexibility⁶, which means you may struggle to adapt to changes. You’re more likely to make risky choices, too, because your judgement could be impaired. Mood swings are another symptom of sleep apnoea that can potentially cause problems with your friends, family, coworkers and other relationships.

What causes sleep apnoea?

While there are some common risk factors, the truth is that sleep apnoea can affect people of all shapes, sizes, races and genders. Additionally, there are different types of sleep apnoea.⁷

• Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a condition where your upper airway becomes blocked repeatedly during sleep, making it harder for air to flow. These blockages can reduce or completely stop the flow of air, causing your breathing to pause throughout the night.¹
• Central sleep apnoea (CSA) is a condition in which the brain doesn’t send signals to the muscles that control breathing, causing breathing to pause during sleep.¹

Obstructive sleep apnoea causes:

• Excess weight: One of the most common causes is obesity. People with excess weight tend to have fat deposits and extra tissue that folds over their windpipe.⁸
• Age: Your age also plays a role. Although children can develop OSA⁹, it’s much more likely to occur in older people.¹⁰
• Alcohol use: People who drink alcohol have a higher risk of developing the condition. Alcohol expands the blood vessels in your nose. This can contribute to congestion and make it much more difficult to breathe through your nose.¹¹
• Smoking: If you smoke tobacco, you may be more likely to develop OSA. Tobacco causes inflammation to the airways, narrowing them.¹²
• Body structure: Certain structural differences in your body can result in OSA, too. If you have an underbite, a large tongue or large tonsils, you could experience breathing obstructions when your throat relaxes. Additionally, genetic factors may impact the structure of your neck and head, making you more likely to develop OSA.⁹

A few health conditions are associated with OSA. Type 2 diabetes has been linked to the development of sleep apnoea¹³ because of how the disease affects breathing. It damages blood vessels throughout the respiratory system, making breathing more difficult overall.

Central sleep apnoea causes:

• Brain stem disorders: CSA can be caused by a number of health conditions that impact the brain stem, which regulates your breathing. If you have CSA, your brain stem doesn’t react properly to the carbon dioxide levels in your blood. People who have conditions such as congestive heart failure or atrial fibrillation are more likely to develop this type of sleep apnoea.¹⁴
• Neurological conditions: CSA is also a potential result of neurological conditions like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Other genetic conditions that could make CSA more likely include Rett Syndrome and congenital central hypoventilation syndrome.¹⁴
• Opioid use: Additionally, opioid use is associated with CSA due to the effect of these drugs on the breathing system.¹⁴

How do I know if I have sleep apnoea?

If you think you have sleep apnoea, it’s important to keep a close eye on your overall health and symptoms. If you have a partner, ask them for help. They can help you keep track of how often you wake up during the night or let you know if your snoring is getting worse.

The best way to find out whether you have sleep apnoea is to reach out to a healthcare professional. Your doctor can recommend a specialist who is qualified to diagnose sleep apnoea. If you’re diagnosed, you can work together to create a customised treatment plan that may help you feel and sleep better.

When to see a doctor about sleep apnoea symptoms

If you’re constantly struggling to stay awake while you drive or watch television despite going to bed at reasonable hours each night, it can be a sign you have sleep apnoea. You should also speak to your doctor if you notice your memory and focus aren’t quite what they once were. These can be common signs of sleep apnoea or another condition.

Without a diagnosis, symptoms of sleep apnoea can have a negative impact on your quality of life. If left untreated, sleep apnoea could even put you at risk of developing other health issues like type 2 diabetes and heart disease.¹³ Catching sleep apnoea early and addressing underlying causes may help prevent some of the long-term issues associated with it.

The moment that you notice your life has become more difficult because of symptoms like snoring, waking up repeatedly and excessive daytime sleepiness, it’s time to consult your doctor. With professional help, you can be on your way to getting the sleep you need.

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This blog post contains general information about medical conditions and treatments. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The information is not advice, and should not be treated as such. You must not rely on the information on this website as an alternative to medical advice from your doctor or other professional healthcare provider.

If you have any specific questions about any medical matter, you should consult your doctor or other professional healthcare provider. If you think you may be suffering from any medical condition, you should seek immediate medical attention. You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice, or discontinue medical treatment because of information on this website. The views expressed on this blog and website have no relation to those of any academic, hospital, practice, or other institution with which the authors are affiliated and do not directly reflect the views of Resmed or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates.

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