Sleep apnoea is caused by breathing being stopped while you sleep. While snoring and sleep apnoea are generally regarded as going hand in hand in many cases, it can be difficult to identify other, less common warning signs of sleep apnoea. Here we’ll discuss what to look out for if you’ve been wondering if you might be suffering from sleep apnoea symptoms.

What are the symptoms of sleep apnoea?

As a result of sleep apnoea, there are several common symptoms that occur at night including:

• Snoring¹
• Night sweats²
• Frequent urination³
• Insomnia⁴

During the night, it’s not always easy for us to identify these warning signs, but during the day, there are also many symptoms of sleep apnoea which include:

• Fatigue⁵
• Morning headaches⁵
• Daytime sleepiness⁵
• Depressed mood ⁵
• Decreased libido and/or sexual disfunction⁶

What to do if you think you might have sleep apnoea?

If you are initially unsure about your symptoms, you can always take our quick 3-minute online sleep assessment to see how likely it is that you may have the disorder.

It may be time that you get tested for sleep apnoea if you do suffer from some of the above-mentioned symptoms. Symptoms that reoccur over time might be indicative of sleep apnoea so talking to a specialist or your general practitioner is crucial.

How can I be tested and diagnosed?

If your healthcare professional does suspect that you may have sleep apnoea, they will firstly perform screenings with questionnaires and discussions. If they then think it’s appropriate, they will ask you to take a sleep test. A sleep test is a non-invasive, overnight test that’s used to diagnose sleep apnoea and other sleep-related conditions. It can take place in a hospital or in your own home.

Although they may sound daunting, sleep tests are accurate and non-invasive. Sensors are placed on your body to track relevant details like your blood oxygen levels, pulse, brain waves and eye movements. The sensors are connected to a recording device so your sleep doctor can analyse and assess your results.

Your sleep physician will then review the results of your sleep test and might give you a diagnosis of sleep apnoea or another sleep-related condition.

Remember, diagnosis of sleep apnoea is the first step in finding the right solution for you. So, for more information on sleep apnoea and common symptoms, visit your local healthcare professional or specialist, take our free online assessment, and find out more about the disorder here.

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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.