How can you tell if you have sleep apnea?

Symptoms: loud snoring with periods of silence (breathing pauses), awakenings with a choking sensation, chronic fatigue despite "sufficient" sleep, morning headaches, daytime sleepiness, reduced concentration. For diagnosis, polysomnography is needed — a sleep study in a laboratory or home monitoring.

Is sleep apnea treatable?

Yes. The main treatment method is CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure): a mask worn at night keeps the airways open. The effectiveness is very high: fatigue, daytime sleepiness, and cognitive impairments disappear within a few weeks. Also used are: weight loss, positional therapy (avoiding sleeping on the back), and surgery in selected cases.

Sleep Apnea: Symptoms, Dangers, and Treatment

Sleep apnea — breathing pauses during the night that you might not even know about. It's a serious condition posing risks to your heart and brain. How to recognize it and what to do.

🌿psybot.app·June 19, 2026·2 min read

You sleep 8 hours. You wake up exhausted. Throughout the day, you experience overwhelming sleepiness. Your partner says you snore loudly and sometimes 'stop breathing' for a second or two. Your tests are normal. Doctors shrug their shoulders.

Get tested for sleep apnea.

1. What is Sleep Apnea

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) is characterized by repeated episodes of complete or partial cessation of breathing during sleep, caused by the collapse of soft tissues in the throat. Each time breathing stops, the brain 'wakes' the body to resume breathing – which happens hundreds of times a night. The person does not remember these awakenings, but sleep is never deep.

2. Symptoms to Watch Out For

Loud snoring with pauses (noticed by partner)
Chronic daytime sleepiness – falling asleep in meetings, on public transport
Unrefreshing sleep – 8 hours, but 'as if you haven't slept'
Morning headaches
Dry mouth in the morning
Frequent nighttime awakenings
Memory and concentration impairments
Irritability

3. Who is at Risk

Men (2–3 times more often than premenopausal women)
Overweight (fat around the neck narrows the airways)
Over 40 years old
Anatomical features: enlarged tonsils, small lower jaw
Alcohol and sleeping pill use (relax throat muscles)

4. Why Sleep Apnea is Dangerous

Hypertension – in 50% of OSAS patients
Increased risk of heart attack and stroke
Heart rhythm disorders (atrial fibrillation)
Cognitive decline, dementia with prolonged course
Type 2 diabetes (impaired insulin resistance)

5. Diagnosis and Treatment

Diagnosis: polysomnography (standard) or home respiratory monitoring. Referral – somnologist or ENT.

Treatment:

CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) – effective in 95% of cases
Weight loss – reduces OSAS severity
Positional therapy – avoiding sleeping on your back
Avoiding alcohol before sleep
Surgery – in individual cases

Read also: Insomnia and Sleep Disorders. Discuss your symptoms with our AI psychologist psybot.app.

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