Sleep apnea, or obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAS), a disorder that manifests itself by repeated and uncontrolled interruptions of breathing during the night, is often difficult to detect. And for good reason, most of the time, people who suffer from it are not aware of their condition.
However, several symptoms, day and night, can alert the sleeper or his life partner.
severe snoring
Among them, severe and daily snoring. This respiratory noise, caused by the vibration of the tissues of the throat as the air passes by, and which often wakes up loved ones, is present in 95% of cases. This excessive snoring is therefore accompanied by slight interruptions in breathing, and sometimes repeated awakenings during sleep, with a feeling of suffocation or suffocation, and episodes of gasping. These signs are generally noticed by those around you.
Note that the apnea is said to be “severe”, if the subject has more than 30 apneas per hour of sleep, between 5 and 15, the apnea is light, and between 16 and 30, moderate.
Excessive sleepiness
These repetitive apneas, which last on average 10 to 30 seconds, and which can be repeated a hundred times a night, disturb sleep and cause fatigue and excessive sleepiness during the day. This results in an uncontrollable need to sleep, which generally occurs when the person is passive (when reading, watching television or even when attending a meeting). The latter also has difficulty concentrating and remembering, and usually suffers from headaches. Subjects suffering from sleep apnea, for which obesity is the main risk factor, can indeed have very severe headaches, especially on waking.
Mood disorders
The consequences of this disorder, which affects nearly 4% of the population in France, most often men over 40, also result in mood swings. Sleep being interspersed with numerous micro-awakenings – the brain reacts to the lack of oxygen and the person wakes up to resume breathing – and not restorative, apneic patients are in fact often irritable during the day. They may also experience sadness, lack of motivation and suffer from depression.
A decrease in sexual desire
Finally, this respiratory pathology can cause erectile dysfunction and libido. And for good reason. In humans, the rate of secretion of testosterone, the male sex hormone, increases particularly during the phases of deep sleep. However, this condition disrupts the cycles and the quality of sleep, and the body cannot therefore secrete this hormone in sufficient quantity. Some men also experience erectile dysfunction and women experience poor vaginal lubrication. In the long term, OSAHS can impact the cardiovascular system, promote high blood pressure, heart failure, and heart rhythm disorders. This is why it is essential to consult a specialist as soon as these signs appear.