You snore regularly
Snoring is a term used to describe the sound of air vibrating through your airways as you sleep. Over time, snoring can make your airways inflamed and narrow. This can lead to Obstructive Sleep Apnoea where your airways frequently close off, resulting in pauses in your breathing.
Someone has seen you stop breathing for short periods of time while asleep
If someone has witnessed a pause in your breathing while you sleep, you may have sleep apnoea. An apnoea occurs when your breathing pauses for at least 10 seconds. Even if someone has witnessed you having only one or two apnoeas, it is important to visit your doctor for advice. You could be having more apnoeas when no one is watching.
You grunt, snort or gasp for air during sleep
If you have Obstructive Sleep Apnoea, you repeatedly stop breathing in your sleep for short periods of time. This is caused by your airways closing off, blocking the passage of air to your lungs. In response to each obstructive apnoea, you make increasingly forceful efforts to breathe, before awakening fully or partially with a big grunt, snort or gasp when the airways finally reopen.
You show unusual behaviour during sleep such as body movements, walking or speaking in your sleep
If you have sleep apnoea each pause in breathing triggers a partial or full awakening to kick start your breathing response. If you were roused from a dream, you might speak, moan or move. If you wake up in a panic, you may also move quite violently, kicking or hitting anything (or anybody!) in your way.
You grind your teeth while asleep
Teeth grinding can be a sign that you are stressed or anxious. If you have sleep apnoea each pause in breathing triggers a partial or full awakening to kick start your breathing response. Every time this happens your fight or flight response is activated which causes your body to release stress hormones. This can increase your anxiety levels and lead to teeth grinding.
You frequently wake up needing to urinate each night
If you go to the toilet twice or more each night to pass urine, you have what is called frequent urination. Some people describe as many as seven or eight visits to the toilet every night. Although there are many other possible reasons why this may happen, Obstructive Sleep Apnoea can increase the production of urine at night so your bladder fills up more quickly. This signals the need to urinate.
You regularly struggle to fall asleep or remain asleep
If you regularly struggle to fall asleep, remain asleep, or if you wake up in the early hours of the morning, you may have insomnia. Insomnia is associated with a number of sleep disorders, including sleep apnoea. If you have sleep apnoea each pause in breathing triggers a partial or full awakening to kick start your breathing response. If you wake up fully, you may struggle to fall back to sleep, resulting in insomnia.
