| If you snore regularly and experience constant daytime sleepiness, you may have a condition called “sleep apnea.” Although it is as widespread as asthma and diabetes, sleep apnea often remains undiagnosed—a “hidden epidemic.”
This list helps you identify some other signs of sleep apnea:
- Do you gasp or stop breathing during sleep?
- Do you often wake up feeling unrefreshed?
- Do you sometimes feel excessively sleepy during the day?
- Have your energy and motivation levels decreased?
- Do you find it difficult to concentrate?
- Do you have movements during sleep?
If you have the following conditions, you may also have a greater risk of suffering from sleep apnea:
- Overweight
- Snore heavily
- Depression
- Diabetes
- Family history of snoring
- High blood pressure
- Had a stroke or heart disease
The most common sleep disorders:
Insomnia is the inability to fall asleep or remain asleep. Various causes may include poor bedtime habits, stress, mental or physical illness, or life-changing circumstances.
Narcolepsy is excessive daytime sleepiness and intermittent, uncontrollable episodes of falling asleep during the day.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea is when breathing stops or is slowed down during sleep as a result of blocked airflow.
Restless Leg Syndrome is an unpleasant feeling or sensation in the legs when lying down to sleep. This produces an urge to move the legs, which may or may not relieve the feeling, but which does make it hard or impossible to sleep.
Parasomnias are sleep-related disorders that may include nightmares, sleepwalking, night terrors, and others.
Circadian Rhythm Disorders are various disorders of the sleep-wake cycle and include jet lag syndrome, delayed and advanced sleep phase syndrome, and shift work disorder. |