Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder where your breathing frequently stops and restarts as you sleep. You might think that if someone stops breathing, even if for just a short period of time, they would definitely notice it. But many patients with sleep apnea don’t realize that there’s something off with their breathing at nighttime unless someone else informs them that they heard or saw it happening, or they know warning signs to watch out for.
Watch out for for these symptoms while you’re awake, which could indicate a possible sleep apnea diagnosis:
Low Energy During the Day
One of the most common signs of sleep apnea is a lack of energy while you’re awake. You might notice that you feel tired even if you’ve just woken up. You likely experience fatigue throughout the day, regardless of how many hours you’ve slept. You may feel irritable, have increased anxiety and mood swings, and experience difficulty concentrating. This occurs because people with sleep apnea aren’t getting sufficient oxygen to their brain and experience restlessness during their slumber.
Dry Mouth
Is your mouth severely dry when you wake up, causing you to immediately rush for a glass of water? Sleep apnea is associated with mouth breathing, which means that if your mouth is open throughout the night it can be uncomfortably dry in the morning.
Sore Throat
Breathing through your mouth while you sleep means your throat is more exposed to particles in the air that would otherwise get filtered out by your nose hair. This can cause your throat to feel dry, irritated, and sore.
Consult with Our Team!
If you think you might have sleep apnea, then we invite you to schedule a consultation with our team at Seaport Family Dentistry. At our Liberty dental office, we can help diagnose and treat sleep apnea so that you can enjoy more rejuvenating, peaceful sleep and symptom-free days.