Symptoms of Sleep Apnea During the Day
When you think about sleep apnea, some of the first images that come to mind may be snoring, breathing pauses while sleeping, and wearing a CPAP machine. However, there is much more to sleep apnea than just what happens at night. There are many symptoms of sleep apnea that occur during the daytime, and they can be negatively impacting your day-to-day life without you realizing it. Keep reading to learn more about the daytime symptoms of sleep apnea and where to get sleep apnea treatment without a CPAP machine.
Understanding Sleep Apnea
There are three types of sleep apnea, which include central, obstructive, and complex. The most common form is obstructive sleep apnea. It occurs when there is a functional obstruction in the mouth and throat. For example, when the tongue falls against the soft palate during sleep, and the soft palate and uvula then fall against the throat, it makes breathing more difficult or even impossible in some cases.
OSA can lead to snoring as the tongue and soft palate rattle. It can also cause a person to wake up feeling as though they cannot breathe. With OSA, the lungs work normally, and the body still tries to breathe, but it is not possible to get enough air in through the upper airway.
How Sleep Apnea Affects You During The Day
It can be difficult for people to know that they have sleep apnea because the most well-known symptoms related to sleep apnea—snoring and pauses in breathing—happen while you are asleep. Unless you have a partner alerting you to these behaviors, you may not know you are suffering. However, there are many symptoms that occur during the day, too.
Sleep apnea symptoms that happen during the day include:
- Frequent headaches
- Waking up every morning with a dry mouth
- Difficulty staying asleep, or assuming you may have insomnia
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- The constant need for coffee or other stimulants to keep you awake
- Difficulty paying attention or focusing
- Irritability and mood swings
- Never feeling like you’re rested or had a good night’s sleep
- Weight gain
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
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Dr. Krissy Connor received her BSN in 2001 at the Marquette University School of Nursing. She was an emergency room nurse at Aurora Sinai Medical Center for three years before attending the Marquette University School of Dentistry to receive her DDS degree in 2008. She completed a post-graduate residency in Advanced Education in General Dentistry at the Zablocki VA Medical Center in Milwaukee, WI. Her background as a nurse motivated her to seek an area of dentistry where she could use her wide variety of skills and clinical experience to serve her community better. She has been collaborating with physicians to treat patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea using oral appliance therapy since 2014.
Beyond her accomplishments, Dr. Connor is a mother to three beautiful daughters. Her husband, Dr. Michael Connor, is a Neurologist who shares in her passion for healthcare.
Dr. Connor has been improving the lives of patients as the owner of Hypnos Inc. in Brookfield, WI. She is a diplomate of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine and the American Sleep and Breathing Academy.
Learn more at advancedsleepandtmjsolutions.com!
