One bad night’s sleep isn’t the end of the world. Two in a row? You’ll be tired, but get some good rest, and you’ll be fine.
If you’re making this excuse over and over, it may be more than just a bad night’s sleep… or two. Just about anything can cause interruptions to your sleep schedule, making it common to suffer through (what might be) Sleep Apnea. Proper sleep is important for almost anything you want to accomplish during your day, including your productivity. Disruptions that throw off your nighttime and daily routine can help you understand whether or not you have a serious problem, no matter how small they seem.
Here are 5 different warning signs of obstructive sleep apnea:
1. Constant Tiredness
Are you bored, or are you tired? Boredom may be the reason you daydream or think about something else in the office, but not for suddenly falling asleep. Tiredness can be the result of a number of different factors. The bottom line is that if you’re getting the recommended amount of sleep each night, you should have no trouble staying awake. Otherwise, you could be experiencing a sleep apnea warning sign.
One of the most obvious and dangerous red flags is falling asleep while driving. Even if you’re not getting good rest, you should never feel like you’re about to sleep at the wheel. If this is the case, it most likely means you’ve had weeks of poor sleep and should seek help for a larger problem.
2. Can’t Fall Asleep
The “tried and true” methods to help you sleep better at night oftentimes can be enough to help you get rest you need. Tactics like putting on white noise to drown out other sounds during sleep, mediating before bed, exercising during the day, eating well prior to bedtime and turning off electronics can all do the trick.
If you’ve tried these techniques and still sleep poorly, you may be experiencing something more serious. With sleep apnea, no matter how much you’ve tried, you will continue to have sleep episodes and frequent wake ups.
3. Struggling to Focus
Being exhausted is not easy. In fact, it’s exhausting.
Sleep recharges our bodies, including our minds. Without sleep, we’re not prepared for the day ahead. Studies show that sleep deprivation hinders learning, impairs cognitive performance, and slows down reaction time. Bad sleep effects everything: our body, focus in work and school, and overall quality of life.
4. Waking up at Night
Stress, anxiety, and simply not winding down enough before bed are all culprits of missing out on good sleep.
If you wake up multiple times throughout the night on a regular basis, it could be a sleep apnea warning sign. Although this seems normal, over time, someone struggling to sleep can experience memory loss, mood changes, and even becoming sick more easily. If this sounds like you, a sleep specialist may be able to help.
5. Pain in the morning
Did you know that not getting enough sleep can cause inflammation and pain in the morning? While you’re sleeping, tissues and cells that were damaged from the previous day have the chance to repair themselves. If you’re not getting a recommended 7-9 hours of sleep, you’re taking time away from that process, and as a result, not getting the rest your body needs to keep you going.
Another sign of sleep deprivation is waking up with a headache. Disrupting your REM cycle, including never fully reaching REM sleep, can lower your body’s ability to fight headaches and migraines.
If you find yourself experiencing any of these symptoms, schedule an appointment with Dr. Maestro today and learn about your options to treat sleep apnea. We offer an assessment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) at our Albany office where we can determine the next course of action.
Don’t wait to get the sleep that you deserve!
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