Do You Have Sleep Apnea? Ask Yourself These 4 Questions

Everyone can suffer from a poor night’s sleep.

Sometimes it’s from drinking too much coffee in one day. Other times, stress from the previous day can keep you up for hours.

Many factors can negatively affect your nightly rest, and it is important to understand and remedy those issues.

If you find yourself struggling to get a good night’s rest night after night, something may be wrong. That something might be sleep apnea.

If you are concerned you may suffer with sleep apnea, ask yourself these four questions.

1) Do you suffer from fatigue?

If you wake up feeling tired and find yourself trying to sneak naps at work, chances are you didn’t get a good night’s sleep.

This can be confusing, especially if you thought you got a good eight hours of rest.

What you may not know is that even if you went to bed at a decent time, a lot can happen in the night to disrupt your sleep.

Waking up every morning feeling like you haven’t slept a wink isn’t normal. A yes to this question could mean something is off.

2) Do you snore loudly?

Everyone snores at some point--whether the culprit is allergies or the common cold.

However, if it is a nightly occurrence that makes your loved one always jab you awake with their elbows because of your bearlike snores, it’s an issue worth looking into.

In the case of chronic snoring that is disturbing your or your partner’s sleep, it is important to get checked by a physician and find out what type of sleeping problem you are dealing with.

3) Do you wake up with a dry mouth?

There are several different reasons to wake up with a dry mouth, such as sleeping on your back, dehydration, or a virus.

Or it could be that you have been sleeping with your mouth open, a reason that is closely associated with sleep apnea.

If sleep apnea is the cause for your dry mouth, this may mean that enough air isn’t getting to your lungs while you are sleeping. Hence, sleeping with an open mouth.

It’s a hugely significant indicator, so don’t overlook it!

4) Do you wake up gasping for breath?

This is an easy sign to pick up on. Waking up and gasping for breath is not a hard thing to miss.

Gasping can be a tell-tale sign that you are not getting enough oxygen and that you are not breathing properly during sleep.

If this question was a resounding yes for you, then something may be wrong with your sleep.

If you found yourself answering yes to most of these questions, it is recommended that you go to your doctor and find out what is causing your sleep troubles.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute indicates that there are several factors that can lead to sleep apnea--including having large tonsils, weight problems, or neuromuscular disorders.

Undiagnosed sleep apnea can lead to several problems greater than snoring like a smoosh-faced pug for the rest of your life.

Don’t wait to find out the easy solutions for sleep apnea. Make an appointment with your doctor today.