Sleep apnea is condition that may seem normal at first but is actually a threatening condition paired with other illnesses. There are a lot of things you must know about sleep apnea and I’m here to help you.
So, can sleep apnea make you feel sick? Yes, sleep apnea can make you feel sick in various ways. When you have sleep apnea, breathing can be difficult while we sleep and takes away your muscle’s relaxation period.
We sleep so that our body can rest but sleep apnea prevents us from getting the right kind of sleep which is why we wake up feeling tired.
The inability to breathe properly causes our brain to become dysfunctional. This may force us to wake up gasping for air and this will disrupt the body’s time to rest.
Suddenly waking up from sleep can also cause headache which we will feel once we decide to stop sleeping. Studies also show that sleep apnea can potentially cause neurological disorders such as depression.
A person who is diagnosed with sleep apnea does not simply “feel sick” rather, they are actually sick. This is a disease that attacks during the time we are not aware, so we tend to confuse it as an illusion of “feeling”.
Sometimes, people with sleep apnea may have a hard time focusing and also tend to become unconsciously irritable.
Not having proper sleep which is what is usually the case with sleep apnea patients can make anyone feel moody since they don’t have the right amount of energy to keep their mood normal.
Aside from the emotional state, sleep apnea can also contribute to weight gain and gaining weight uncontrollably can bring in other illnesses that may cause the patient to “feel sick” too.
After all, sleep apnea is recognized as an “accompanying disease” meaning it usually comes along with another threatening illness that must be identified when one has sleep apnea.
What to do if sleep apnea makes you feel sick
The best thing you can do if you have sleep apnea or know someone diagnosed with it is to get it treated as soon as possible. Letting the illness develop can worsen its accompanying diseases.
Sleep apnea treatments usually involve surgeries but can be different depending on what causes it. Check out this list of existing treatments commonly being performed for sleep apnea patients.
- Rapid Maxillary Expansion
- For children with obstructive sleep apnea. This process places an expandable brace on the roof of the mouth that increases the width of the upper jaw (maxilla).
- Over time, parents can adjust the brace using a special key to increase the amount of pressure for the teeth.
- Jaw Advancement Surgery
- For teenagers and adults. This process will surgically break the jaw bones, moved forward and then fixed properly with screws and plates and will change the person’s facial structure or profile.
- It might take months to recover.
- CPAP Machine Treatment
- Works for any age. Stands for “Continuous Positive Airway Pressure device”
- The person diagnosed will have to use a mask connected to a machine that will force air to the obstructed airway from the oropharyngeal.
- The mask placed over the mouth or nose will blow air into the airway to help keep it open during sleep. Highly recommended and proven effective by a majority of sleep apnea patient.
- Surgical Airway Advancement
- Similar to the 2nd example. Bones of the upper and lower jaw will be repositioned in a way that will relieve airway obstruction.
Consult a healthcare professional to determine what is the best procedure that can be done for your sleep apnea. You won’t feel sick with sleep apnea anymore after undergoing treatments. You can sleep well!
What causes sleep apnea that can make you feel sick
There are plenty of factors that can make sleep apnea worse or be the cause of it and thus, worsen the feeling of being sick. If you learn about these things, it will be easier for you to avoid the negative feeling.
This list will give you an idea of what potentially causes your sleep apnea, what makes it worse and why it can make you feel sick at times.
- Obesity
- Can make breathing difficult even while asleep or not moving
- Hypothyroidism
- The condition wherein your body does not produce enough thyroid hormones, which is needed to control how to use energy received from food through metabolism. Bad metabolism can affect heartbeat and breathing.
- Acromegaly
- Opposite of hypothyroidism, acromegaly produces too much growth hormones which can affect your overall health including breathing.
- Allergies
- There are certain allergies that can worsen sleep apnea. Allergies that result with difficulty in breathing are the likes.
- Smoking cigarettes
- Excessive smoking can damage your body which may make it harder to function or relax properly, increasing the risk of sleep apnea
- Drinking liquor
- Too much liquor and drinking before going to sleep can cause sleep apnea.
- Drug usage
- Sedations or other types of drugs especially when being abused can result in sleep apnea or worse.
- Certain drugs, medications or such can worsen sickness
- Being male
- Observations reveal that males tend to have sleep apnea more than females
- Though this factor cannot be avoided, knowing about it will help you understand the reason why you are prone to sleep apnea and becoming sick from it.
- Being old
- Observations also revealed that older adults are more prone to sleep apnea than younger ones due to more complicated health issues that may trigger sleep apnea
Other natural causes of sleep apnea can be a thick neck, narrow throat and having a round head. Avoid triggering your allergies or get medications for other conditions to cure your sleep apnea.
What are the signs of sleep apnea that makes you feel sick
One of the most common ways to identify sleep apnea is by conducting a “sleep study” wherein the patient will have to stay in a center where doctors and nurses would be observing their sleeping habits.
Not only the sleeping behavior, but other factors that could be a sign of sleep apnea as well. Here’s a list of sleep apnea signs to watch out for if you are not ready to go for a sleep study yet.
- Heavy snoring
- Maybe, it can be a sign of fatigue but snoring loudly and usually can be a sign of sleep apnea.
- Gasping for air during sleep
- The feeling of drowning without knowing it and suddenly you’re out of air.
- Insomnia
- Having trouble going to sleep because you have breathing problems that you may not notice
- This is also why we feel sick later on, the lack of sleep means lack of energy.
- Hypersomnia
- Having trouble staying awake in the morning because you were unable to sleep well due to your sleep apnea. We may also confuse sleepiness for sickness.
- Waking up with a headache
- Sleep apnea can disturb your body’s “charging” state. Since you can’t sleep well, your body will use energy for means that can help you breathe which may lead to headaches.
- Waking up with a dry mouth
- With sleep apnea, the person tends to snore and keep their mouth open when gasping for air which leads to a dried up mouth once we awaken.
- Decreased ability to focus
- Sleep apnea can give lack of sleep which will also result in difficulty to focus on anything
- Feeling uncomfortable
- Your lack of energy due to sleep apnea can make you feel uncomfortable and irritable without your knowledge
- Suddenly stop breathing during sleep
- Your housemates should notice this and tell you about it. Sleep apnea can disrupt breathing that may last for up to 10 seconds which is already risky.
There are three types of sleep apnea that you may be diagnosed with.
- Obstructive sleep apnea
- The most common sleep apnea that can be present in all ages. When the breathing is obstructed due to various factors, is it because of obstructive sleep apnea which may require surgery
- Central sleep apnea
- When your brain fails to send the proper signals to your body to command it to “breathe”, it is because of central sleep apnea
- Complex sleep apnea syndrome
- This is the combination of the first two sleep apneas and also poses higher risks than a normal obstructed sleep apnea.
- It may also be more difficult to treat this not knowing the major cause of the condition
What happens if you let sleep apnea make you sick
If you are aware that you may have sleep apnea that causes different feelings of sickness, the scary part of ignoring sleep apnea and the sickness you feel are the risk of permanent damage or severe ones.
Don’t just think that you “feel sick”, if you are suffering from it, don’t ignore it. Sleep apnea can turn worse, just check this list of possible outcomes when ignoring sleep apnea.
- Heart failure
- May lead to fatal conditions such as brain damages or even death
- Heart attack
- Can also be severely threatening
- Irregular heartbeat
- Worsens the ability to breathe
- Can trigger anxiety
- Stroke
- Can leave permanent damage
- May lead to paralysis
- Depression
- Not an easy condition to treat
- Diabetes
- Leaves you prone to more heart attacks
- High Blood Pressure
- Aside from your physical health, this can also affect your mental health and relationship with people around you including your work
- Increases ADHD
- Sleep apnea reduces your ability to focus which is what happens when you have ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)
- Having a lack of control to focus can lead to frustration
- Headaches
- You may wake up with a bad headache which will lead to other problems listed here
- Lack of daily energy
- As mentioned, your energy will be reduced since you are unable to sleep well.
- Seizures
- Sleep apnea patients are more prone to seizures during sleep compared to epilepsy patients without sleep apnea.
The thing is, sleep apnea, if left untreated or worsened by other factors, can lead to death. Its risks can be fatal and leave permanent damage or severe pain and feeling of sickness which can drag on daily.
If diagnosed with sleep apnea, one must consider treating the problem as soon as possible in order to prevent any unwanted scenarios related to your health.
Related Questions
- Can sleep apnea kill you?
Yes, untreated sleep apnea can end up becoming the cause of one’s death. There are already reported cases of deaths with sleep apnea patients.
Sleep apnea is already deadly with its symptoms of disrupting breathing and heartbeat during sleep but it also invites other threatening illnesses which means, if untreated, it can easily turn fatal any moment.
- How do you sleep with sleep apnea?
There are plenty ways to lessen sleep apnea attacks especially if the cause of your sleep apnea is completely avoidable. Check this list of tips that can help you sleep better while having sleep apnea.
- Exercise properly
- Maintain a healthy and balanced diet
- Avoid excessive smoking and drinking liquor
- Avoid caffeine before going to sleep
- Sleep with a light stomach
- Follow a proper sleep routine
- Lose weight
If none of the self treatment methods can help you out, the best thing you can do is seek help from a medical professional and check what would be the best treatment for you.
