4 Ways You Didnt Know Sleep Apnea Is Affecting Your Life

Sleep apnea is a disorder that occurs when the soft tissues at the back of the mouth relax during sleep, partially closing off the airway to the body. The condition causes interruptions in normal breathing during sleep, which may cause individuals to snore, gasp or wake up briefly throughout the night. Sleep apnea can cause chronic daytime tiredness, but it can also result in a number of other symptoms that you may not know are related to poor breathing during your night’s sleep.

The interrupted sleep and poor oxygenation caused by sleep apnea can affect your ability to think clearly, focus your attention on tasks and remember. If you find you have become increasingly forgetful about everyday details, it could be sleep apnea that is causing the mental cloudiness. The memory and concentration problems may cause individuals to fear more serious cognitive disorders, but the underlying problem may simply be poor sleep caused by sleep apnea.

If you find yourself being irritable with those around you or feel depressed without any obvious cause for it, you may have sleep apnea, a condition that is known to affect mood. A physician that is experienced in diagnosing sleep apnea can determine if this problem is affecting your ability to maintain normal emotional stability.

Sleep apnea doctorswill often ask if you wake up with a headache frequently, which is caused by insufficient oxygen while you sleep. If you wake up with a headache frequently, you might be tempted to blame it on dry air or poor air quality in your home. However, morning headaches are also a common symptom of sleep apnea that should receive medical investigation and proper treatment.

Sleep apnea can also lead to disinterest in sex or problems with sexual function. Poor sleep can cause dysfunction in the endocrine system of the body and lack of sufficient oxygen can result in erectile problems. If you are having erectile dysfunction, talk to your doctor about the possibility of sleep apnea. Proper treatment may be able to help your problem.

Sleep apnea results in poor sleep quality and inadequate delivery of oxygen to the body that can have a profound effect on how you feel and how well you perform in daily life. If you suspect you have sleep apnea, consult with a health professional that specializes in this condition. A number of treatments are available to help improve breathing during the night.