What are the symptoms of obstructive sleep apnoea?

Average rating:

People with OSAS may not be aware that they have this problem as
they do not usually remember the waking times at night. It is often a
sleeping partner or a parent of a child with OSAS that is concerned
about the loud snoring and the recurring episodes of apnoea that they
notice.

One or more of the following also commonly occur:

Daytime
sleepiness. This is often different to just being 'tired'. People with
severe OSAS may fall asleep during the day with serious consequences.
For example, when driving, especially on long monotonous journeys such
as on a motorway. A particular concern is the increased frequency of
car crashes involving drivers with OSAS. Drivers with OSAS have a 7-12
increased risk of having a car crash compared to average. You should
not drive or operate machinery of you feel sleepy.
Poor concentration and mental functioning during the day. This can lead to problems at work.
Not feeling refreshed on waking.
Morning headaches.
Depression.
Being irritable during the day.

Some people with OSAS find that they get up to pass urine
frequently during the night. Less common symptoms also include night
sweats, reduced sex drive, and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.

People
with untreated OSAS also have an increased risk of developing high
blood pressure. Having high blood pressure can increase your risk of
having a heart attack or stroke. People with untreated OSAS may also
have an increased risk of developing problems with blood sugar
regulation.

Epworth Sleepiness Scale

If you have daytime tiredness, sometimes a questionnaire is used to measure the Epworth Sleepiness Scale. This helps to gauge the level of sleepiness that you feel during the daytime. A high score indicates that you may have a sleeping disorder such as OSA. See separate leaflet called Epworth Sleepiness Scale for details.