HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE SLEEP APNEA?

Loud snoring, being overweight, and feeling overly tired during the day are sure signs of sleep apnea. But either of these alone are also signs of sleep apnea. In many cases there are less obvious signs and symptoms such as unexplained headaches, high blood pressure, depression, or weight gain.

DO I HAVE SLEEP APNEA? TAKE THE ONLINE SLEEP TESTS QUESTIONNAIRE

To find out if you are at risk for sleep apnea, fill out the online questionnaires. These are for adults. If you are overly sleepy (a score of 10 or above on the sleepiness test) and you have high scores on the snore test, your risk is high. You should also calculate your BMI (Body Mass Index – it tells you whether or not you are overweight). If you are high in the overweight category or in the obese category or above, your risk for sleep apnea is also very high. You should consult with a physician and have a sleep study done. Men with a shirt neck size of 17 inches or above are also at very high risk.

In children, questionnaires are less reliable. Parents’ observations about snoring and pauses in breathing are also very unreliable, so you should see your doctor if you suspect your child has sleep apnea. Remember, the signs and symptoms of sleep apnea in children are very different from adults and include poor school performance, bed wetting, hyperactivity, in addition to loud snoring.

next: Take the Sleep apnea questionnaire >>>