Interruptions in the aspects of our everyday life can be significantly concerning. Any symptoms observed in everyday activities should be monitored immediately and need to be taken to a doctor’s attention immediately. When the aspect is something like sleep, monitoring it might be difficult. However, this gives more reason for the abnormalities to be monitored as soon as possible as not doing so could lead to fatal consequences.

Sleep apnea is a very serious sleep disorder that leads to interruptions in sleep repeatedly. The breathing gets affected in between periods of sleep. Sleep apnea can lead to developing complications like heart attack and type 2 diabetes. This also increases the risk of being prone to conditions like heart attack and stroke. This condition can affect people of any age. Given the urgency with which it should be monitored, understanding the signs and symptoms of sleep apnea is important.

Some of the characteristic signs and symptoms of sleep apnea in adults are as follows:

• Individuals who suffer from this condition are known to snore loudly.
• In the process of snoring, if it has been noticed that the individual stops breathing, then that is a significant symptom of sleep apnea.
• If the individual wakes up in the middle of the sleep with shortness of breath, time and again, that should be counted as a sign of this condition.
• Individuals facing this condition would also experience waking up gasping for breath or choking because of a lack of breath.
• Waking up several times throughout the night than the normal level could also be a warning sign.
• Excessive daytime sleeping, also known as hypersomnia, is a symptom of this condition as it can reduce the quantity and quality of sleep that a person receives in the night time.
• The individual suffering from this condition would regularly wake up with a sore throat and dry mouth in the morning time.
• Waking up with headaches is also a common symptom amongst people suffering from sleep apnea.
• Insomnia, a condition that renders difficulty falling asleep in people with this condition, is also a common symptom.
• Reduced interest in sexual activities or sexual dysfunction is known to be one of the signs of this condition.
• Given the lack of sleep rendered by this condition, the individual might also experience constant mood swings and feel irritable for longer durations.
• Problems with remembering things, events, etc., can arise. In addition to that, the individual would also experience trouble in paying attention where required, and also would not be capable of concentrating when necessary.

If any of these signs and symptoms of sleep apnea are noticed, then individuals should consult the doctor immediately. This can help the doctor provide some advice particularly tailored to the individual’s situation. A polysomnogram or sleep study – a study that monitors eye movement, brain waves, oxygen levels in the blood, and breathing – will be used to diagnose this condition when these symptoms are noticed. In addition to that, if required, a sleep specialist can also be suggested for further treatment options.