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ATLANTA – If you snore at home, you may be suffering from sleep apnea, or OSA – a dangerous condition in which people stop breathing for 10 seconds or more at a time.
The condition is associated with smaller brain size, damage to the white matter pathways in the brain, and a three-fold higher risk of dying from any cause. If left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, depression, and early death. American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
But what if you have unusual or ambiguous symptoms in addition to snoring? You and your loved ones may not know you are at risk, and the condition may go undiagnosed for years.
“Even though more than 30 million people in the United States suffer from sleep apnea, the condition is often underdiagnosed or underdiagnosed,” said Dr. Raj Dasgupta, MD, associate professor of clinical medicine at Keck School of Medicine in Southern California.
“It’s really misguided by women and men because women often don’t see the classic heroic snorts that men show,” he said.
Here are five strange symptoms of sleep apnea, according to Dasgupta.
Night sweats
There are many reasons why people may sweat at night. It can be very hot, especially in the past few years due to the constant heat waves due to the climate crisis. Certain medications can cause night sweats, such as cancer, thyroid issues, influenza and bacterial infections, and menopause symptoms. Mayo Clinic.
But Research has shown. According to Dasgupta, 30% of people with obstructive sleep apnea report suffering from night sweats.
“It’s because your body isn’t getting enough oxygen that you go into this sympathetic fight-or-flight mode, which triggers night sweats,” he said. Research shows that people with OSA who have night sweats are less likely to develop sleep apnea.
Repeated awakening
Many people wake up at night to empty their bladder – this can be caused by excessive alcohol consumption, diabetes, inflammation, high blood pressure, certain medications, pregnancy, prostate issues and drinking too much fluid before bed. Cleveland Clinic.
But getting up at least twice a day to urinate — called nocturia — can also be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea, Dasgupta said.
“One study found that 50% of patients with OSA had nocturia, and suggested that treatment of the sleep disorder could reduce arousal.”
However, frequent nocturnal urination is not often asked to screen for sleep apnea in primary care offices, Dasgupta said.
Grinding teeth
Grinding or grinding teeth during sleep is called bruxism, and it can also be a symptom of obstructive sleep apnea, Dasgupta said.
“Of course stress and other factors can cause bruxism, but the most common cause is obstructive sleep apnea,” he said. “There’s a theory as to why — the airway becomes obstructed, so the muscles in the mouth and jaw move to free the blocked airway. That’s not proven, but it’s an interesting hypothesis.”
Most people who grind or clench their teeth use a mouth guard recommended by their dentist, but it doesn’t protect the jaw, says Dasgupta.
“So a person can experience TMJ (dysfunction), which is pain in the temporal lobe, which can lead to other issues, such as headaches,” he said.
Morning headache
Studies They found a link between having sleep apnea and waking up with headaches, Dasgupta said.
“They usually occur every day or most days of the week and can last for several hours after waking up in the morning,” he said. “The cause of headaches is poorly understood and can be many.”
Headaches caused by sleep apnea do not seem to increase sensitivity to nausea or exposure to light and sound. Instead, it appears to be a 30-minute sensation on both sides of the forehead. According to the June 2015 study.
Depression, fatigue and insomnia
Some of the symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea can mimic mental illness, brain fog, or other sleep problems, Dasgupta said.
“Sleep affects our ability to think, react, remember and solve problems.” “Women in particular tend to report more common symptoms such as insomnia, fatigue and depression.”
If you wake up with obstructive sleep apnea, it can be difficult to get back to sleep. A person may suspect insomnia, not knowing that a specific issue is triggering the awakening.
Symptoms of daytime fatigue include lack of motivation to perform daily tasks, lack of productivity at work, memory problems and low desire to socialize, Dasgupta said. These are symptoms of depression, so if sleep issues are not raised during a health visit, the underlying cause may be missed.