You feel excessively sleepy during the daytime
You are described as feeling excessively sleepy in the daytime if you struggle to stay awake. You may be fighting sleep all day, where your eyes feel like they are about to close at any moment. If you have sleep apnoea each pause in breathing triggers a partial or full awakening so your sleep is fragmented and you never feel refreshed. This can lead to excessive daytime sleepiness.
You constantly lack energy during the daytime
You are described as fatigued when you feel worn out, with no energy or motivation. You may continually feel the need to slow down and rest. If you have sleep apnoea each pause in breathing triggers a partial or full awakening. These continuous disruptions to sleep mean your body doesn’t have enough time to rest and restore energy and resources depleted during the day. This can lead to feelings of fatigue.
You have become more irritable, grumpy or depressed
Sleep apnoea can lead to feelings of irritability or depression as your sleep is continuously disrupted. This can make you feel groggy and low. If you have sleep apnoea you will also have an overly active fight-or-flight response. Your body will be in a state of long-term stress — this can result in exhaustion and depressive symptoms.
You struggle with tasks that need coordination
When you are feeling excessively sleepy or fatigued due to sleep apnoea you may lack coordination. Sleep apnoea is also thought to affect certain parts of the brain responsible for coordination even if you do not feel sleepy or fatigued. You may struggle to complete tasks at work or drive a vehicle. This can lead to lapses in judgement and even accidents.
You have become more forgetful
You can become more forgetful for a variety of reasons, the most common being dementia. Sleep apnoea can also make you slightly more forgetful. This is because sleep apnoea can affect certain parts of the brain responsible for memory formation. You may struggle to recall details, which can impact all areas of your life.
You find it difficult to concentrate
If you have sleep apnoea, you may find it is hard to focus on tasks. Sleep apnoea is thought to affect parts of your brain involved in concentration. You may also be excessively sleepy during the daytime, where you feel your eyes are about to close at any moment. This may mean you are unable to stay alert; your mind may wander or you could begin to doze. This can lead to errors at work and even road traffic accidents.
Your sex drive has reduced
Loss of libido or ‘sex drive’ is a very common problem that can affect men and women at any age. If you have Obstructive Sleep Apnoea, you may have a lower sex drive. For men, the root cause is erectile dysfunction or problems getting an erection. For women, the cause is less clear but may be linked to changes in female hormones, depression, certain medications and exhaustion.
