How Can I Tell I Have Sleep Apnea If I Live Alone?

An estimated 30 million people in the United States have sleep apnea, but only six million are aware of it. For many people, the first step toward seeking medical help and attaining a sleep apnea diagnosis is when their sleep partner complains about their loud, chronic snoring. 

But what about those who don’t share a sleep space with anyone? 

If you live alone and you’re worried about undiagnosed sleep apnea (and its serious health complications) our team at Fivestar Pulmonary Associates has good news: Snoring isn’t the only sign of sleep-disordered breathing, and our comprehensive evaluation can help put your mind at ease. 

Understanding sleep apnea

Sleep apnea, also called sleep-disordered breathing, is a long-term condition that causes ongoing pauses in respiration as you sleep. These breathing pauses are followed by partial awakenings as your brain registers low oxygen levels and stimulates respiration. 

Sleep apnea essentially disrupts your normal cycle of healthy, restful sleep multiple times throughout the night. Mild sleep-disordered breathing causes an average of 10 respiratory pause/partial awakening events per hour; severe sleep apnea causes about three times as many partial awakening events, or at least 30 per hour.

While there are three main types of sleep-disordered breathing, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) accounts for most cases. OSA breathing pauses occur when there’s a physical airway blockage, such as when your tongue falls against your soft palate, causing your soft palate and uvula to collapse into your throat. 

You try to breathe, but you can’t — until your brain triggers a partial awakening. 

Beyond loud, chronic snoring

Loud, chronic snoring is frequently cited as the tell-tale warning sign of OSA, and most sleep apnea evaluations ask if a sleep partner has mentioned loud snoring, gasping, or snorting or observed pauses in your respiration during the night. 

While loud snoring is a common OSA symptom, it’s important to know that not everyone with OSA snores — and snoring isn’t always an indicator of OSA. 

Common signs of OSA that you may notice in yourself include:

• Waking up at night and gasping for air
• Dry mouth or headaches upon waking
• Feeling tired when you wake in the morning 
• Frequently waking up at night to urinate
• Feeling sleepy or tired throughout the day
• Often feeling drowsy behind the wheel 

Living with undiagnosed sleep apnea can also make you impatient or easily irritated or angered; you may notice you’ve become more forgetful and have trouble concentrating. Persistent depression, severe daytime headaches, hard-to-control hypertension, and sexual dysfunction can also occur with unmanaged OSA. 

Are you at increased risk of OSA? 

Anyone can develop OSA, but certain risk factors make the condition more likely. Major OSA risk factors include older age, excess weight, and family history. Anything that might narrow or relax your airway also boosts your odds of having OSA. These risk factors include:

• Drinking alcohol or smoking (tobacco use)
• Using sedative medications to fall asleep 
• A large tongue, tonsils, or adenoids
• Hormonal problems (i.e., low thyroid levels)
• Heart failure or high blood pressure

Sleep-disordered breathing is more common in men than women; men are also more likely to get sleep apnea at younger ages and have a more severe form of the condition. Still, women are more vulnerable to the problem during pregnancy and after menopause.

Start your sleep apnea evaluation

If you’ve noticed any of the OSA symptoms listed above — especially if you have one or more of the risk factors associated with sleep-disordered breathing — it’s a good idea to schedule an appointment with our sleep apnea experts as soon as possible. 

Left undiagnosed and untreated, sleep apnea can take a major toll on your physical health and mental well-being, increasing your risk of serious problems like heart attack and stroke events, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, major depression, and cognitive impairment. 

Are you concerned about OSA? We can help. Fill out our sleep apnea questionnaire online today, and then contact us at your convenience to schedule an evaluation at your nearest Fivestar Pulmonary Associates office in Allen, McKinney, or Plano, Texas.