Signs of Sleep Apnea

There's a good article here about a Missouri hospital and how they've added sleep study capabilities to keep up with demand.

The sleep center is used for conducting sleep studies to detect sleep apnea, a condition where breathing stops during sleep. The article talks about how sleep apnea is often discovered during surgery - at which point the sleep apnea can interfere with the surgery when the patient's irregular breathing lowers oxygen levels. Early detection is key.

The article lists many of the signs of sleep apnea including:
• Daytime sleepiness or dozing off while driving
• Falling asleep at inappropriate times or fighting to stay awake after a full night of rest
• Loud snoring, gasping or choking
• Depression
• Irritability or mood swings
• Sexual dysfunction
• Morning headaches often accompanied by a dry throat
• Frequent nighttime urination
• Lack of concentration
• Memory impairment

If you notice any of these signs, especially if several occur concurrently, talk to your doctor.

The article also talks about how sleep studies work.