Symptoms of Sleep Apnea Fort Worth
Do You Have a Dangerous Sleep Disorder?
Do you wake up refreshed each morning, or do you always find that you are exhausted? If the latter is the case, you might have a dangerous sleep disorder like sleep apnea. The only way to know for sure if you have it is to seek a diagnosis from a qualified medical practitioner — our Fort Worth team can help you arrange for testing! In the meantime, you can read this page to learn about some of the most common indications of sleep apnea.
How to Identify Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
It is not always easy to identify symptoms of sleep apnea, primarily because a lot of them happen when you are unaware of both your body and your surroundings! Other symptoms, which may be apparent during your waking hours, can be easy to dismiss with alternative explanations. That is why you should pay close attention to your body and take note of anything that might point to a problem.
To identify symptoms of sleep apnea, it may be beneficial to keep a sleep journal for a few weeks. Here are some details that you might include:
- Your bedtimes and wake times.
- How you feel when you wake up.
- How many times you wake up each night.
- Activities that might affect the quality of your sleep, such as drinking alcohol or caffeine too close to bedtime.
- Any observations your partner makes about your activities during sleep, such as whether or not you snore or seem to have other breathing problems.
Most Common Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is associated with many symptoms. Here are some of the most common:
- Loud snoring. Snoring is the sound that occurs as air moves past loose tissues in the throat. Unfortunately, those same tissues can obstruct your airway and cause the disruptions in breathing that are characteristic of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
- Daytime exhaustion. While it might seem like tiredness is normal in modern society, you should not lightly dismiss it. Feeling exhausted despite sleeping for 7 – 8 hours could indicate a sleep disorder.
- Morning headaches. When you stop breathing due to sleep apnea, your body’s oxygen levels start to drop. Your blood vessels may also widen, which can lead to morning headaches.
- Low oxygen levels while you sleep can place stress on your cardiovascular system, leading to high blood pressure.
The Next Steps for Sleep Apnea Treatment
If your initial evaluation points to a strong likelihood of sleep apnea, your provider will recommend a sleep study, which is a definitive and non-invasive way to confirm the condition. Advanced monitoring equipment will track your sleep overnight, and a qualified expert will carefully review the results. This process will verify the presence of sleep apnea and assess its severity.
There are two main types of sleep studies. In-lab tests are performed at a sleep clinic and can identify a variety of sleep disorders. At-home tests involve using simple monitoring equipment in the comfort of your own bed. While more streamlined, they can still lead to an accurate diagnosis for sleep apnea. Your provider will help decide which option is most suitable for you.
Our Fort Worth team is here to guide you toward a clear diagnosis. You can get started right now by completing this short questionnaire—it only takes a few minutes!