Q&A #1 What’s It Like to Have Sleep Apnea?

Obstructive sleep apnea is a serious medical condition that can affect all areas of your life. Many go through pain and personal suffering before getting the diagnosis of OSA. Incorrect diagnosis or lack of diagnosis can contribute to this suffering.

Without proper treatment, sleep apnea can worsen until it can be extremely difficult to go through everyday life. So, what’s it like to have sleep apnea? It’s incredibly difficult. But with proper treatment, there is hope for a better life.

Inability to Stay Awake

One of the most difficult parts of having sleep apnea, specifically before treatment with a CPAP machine, is the inability to stay awake throughout the day. Personal sleep apnea stories on the American Sleep Apnea Association website include multiple testimonies about this life-altering problem, as well as the effect that nighttime sleep deprivation has on daytime activity.

Vicki’s testimony details this.

“About seven years ago, I started falling asleep quickly and inappropriately. Watching TV after work one night I awoke when a glass of milk I was holding spilled in my lap. Another night, sitting on the floor cleaning my rabbit’s cage, I awoke four hours later asleep on the floor. I could barely stay awake driving.”

Vicki’s story is not uncommon among sleep apnea sufferers. When your breathing stops in the night, you wake up, and your sleep is disrupted. (Which is why a CPAP machine is the most common treatment for OSA because it forestalls this happening.) Now imagine this scenario happening up to 100 times an hour. Disrupted sleep leads to long, difficult days, even in normal circumstances. It’s no wonder that those with sleep apnea struggle to stay awake as much as they do.

Other Common Problems

Although daytime sleep attacks are one of the most common problems associated with OSA, it is certainly not the only one. Sleep apnea can lead to a multitude of other problems. These include weight gain, excessive snoring, intense fatigue, headaches, depression, memory problems, and the inability to concentrate. Untreated sleep apnea can affect every aspect of life.

• Weight gain can further contribute to the problem of sleep disorders, as well as negatively impact other areas of your health.
• Excessive snoring can cause difficulties for partners and family members to sleep.
• Intense fatigue can cause suffering and potentially be dangerous, specifically when driving.
• Headaches can range from annoying to debilitating and cause problems in your professional and personal life.
• Depression can leave you feeling alone, hopeless, and empty without proper treatment.
• Memory problems can cause minor annoyances or serious consequences, depending on the circumstance.
• The inability to concentrate can cause a multitude of issues, especially in your professional life.

Through all of these common problems caused by OSA, personal setbacks may mount, and feelings of failure may rise.

Coping

If you can relate to these challenges and difficulties, remember you are not alone. If you deal with these problems and have not been diagnosed with a sleep disorder, talk to your primary care doctor about seeing a specialist for an evaluation and trying a CPAP machine. The first step to getting proper treatment for a sleep disorder is asking for help. Don’t wait, and don’t spend another day suffering untreated.

Treat your OSA and take back your life.