Many people don’t think of snoring as a sign of something potentially serious like sleep apnea.
People with undiagnosed sleep apnea are up to ten times more likely to have a motor vehicle accident as a result of sleepiness, sometimes with fatal results.
The engineer of a commuter train that slammed into a station going double the 10 mph speed limit, killing a woman, suffered from undiagnosed sleep apnea. If left undiagnosed the effects of sleep apnea can seriously impact your professional life.
Symptoms of sleep apnea:
- Loud snoring, which is usually more prominent in obstructive sleep apnea
- Abrupt awakenings accompanied by shortness of breath
- Morning headaches
- Excessive daytime sleepiness (hypersomnia)
- Attention problems
- Irritability