You wake up with a morning headache
Sleep apnoea can make you wake up with a headache or a ‘fuzzy’ head, which generally passes within 30 minutes. It is unclear why sleep apnoea can cause morning headaches but they may be due to a build-up of toxic carbon dioxide in the brain, tension in the muscles of the head and neck, or sinus problems due to heavy snoring.
You wake up with a very dry mouth
An excessively dry mouth can indicate that you are sleeping with your mouth open. This usually means you are snoring which can lead to Obstructive Sleep Apnoea. Alternatively it could suggest you are actually having obstructive apnoeas, where your airways close off, blocking the passage of air to your lungs. Your mouth may open wide as you attempt to breathe during each apnoea and as you gasp for air when your airways reopen. If you are having several apnoeas per hour, your mouth may remain open all night which will cause an excessively dry mouth.
You regularly wake up covered in sweat
During obstructive apnoeas, your airways collapse in on themselves, blocking the passage of air to the lungs. In response to each obstruction, you make increasingly forceful effort to breathe. This means that your lung muscles work very hard to try and inflate your lungs during each apnoea. This extra effort causes your lung muscles to produce excess heat, so you become hot and sweaty.
Please note: Certain serious infections and illnesses can also cause night sweats. Please see a doctor for advice.
You often wake up with heartburn or coughing fits
Heart burn occurs when stomach acid enters the food pipe and damages its delicate lining. Acidic gases may rise up and reach the throat causing irritation and coughing fits. During obstructive apnoeas, the pressure in your chest increases. This extra pressure can push and squeeze your stomach, forcing stomach acid and gases into your food pipe which can lead to heartburn and cough.
