Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during the night.
The main types of sleep apnea are:
- Obstructive sleep apnea – the more common form that occurs when throat muscles relax
- Central sleep apnea – which occurs when your brain doesn’t send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing
- Complex sleep apnea syndrome – also known as treatment-emergent central sleep apnea, which occurs when someone has both obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea
Signs & Symptoms
Symptoms of sleep apnea include:
- Snoring
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Mood swings
- Irritability
- Decreased concentration
- Forgetfulness, anxiety
- Morning headaches
- Decreased sexual interest
- High blood pressure
- Carbohydrate cravings
- Weight gain
Diagnosis
Diagnosing sleep apnea often involves overnight monitoring. Tests to detect sleep apnea include:
- Nocturnal polysomnography
- Home sleep tests