What are the warning signs and symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea?
Loud snoring, frequent silences during sleep and choking or gasping during sleep can all be associated with sleep apnea. Sudden awakenings to restart breathing while sleeping or waking up in a sweat are also signs of sleep apnea. Many patients experience difficulty staying asleep, have heartburn at night, or have to empty the bladder during the night. Other symptoms include being very tired during the day, feeling unrefreshed after a night’s sleep, and falling asleep at inappropriate times or while driving. Other medical problems associated with sleep apnea include high blood pressure, heart disease, heart attack and stroke.How is obstructive sleep apnea diagnosed?A sleep specialist can diagnose the various types of sleep apnea, including obstructive sleep apnea, through a combination of clinical symptoms and the results of a sleep study (polysomnogram), which captures these breathing problems during sleep. However, there are many other problems with sleep that can lead to poor quality
