Who Has Sleep Apnea?

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When a child’s airway is restricted due to enlarged tonsils, breathing could be impaired throughout the night, resulting in sleep apnea. Research indicates that oversized tonsils could be the main culprit behind childhood sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is heredity, so if you have sleep apnea it is important to get your child tested. 

Common Symptoms in Children

• Bedwetting (enuresis)
• Difficulty Concentrating
• Poor memory skills
• Inhibited Growth
• ADD & ADHD
• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Mood swings
• Anger issues/bad behavior 
• Poor grades in school
• Social problems 
• Anxiety 

Sleep apnea can affect anyone, even children. But certain factors increase your risk. In fact, women are less often diagnosed with sleep apnea, mainly because it can be mistaken for other conditions. This itself poses a large public health problem and places women at risk for cardiovascular and neurocognitive sequelae as well as decreased quality of life. Contact us if you have signs or symptoms of sleep apnea or any sleep problem that leaves you fatigued, sleepy and irritable.

Common symptoms in women:

• Weight gain
• Low energy 
• Persistent fatigue 
• Anxiety 
• Moody/Irritable 
• Stressed 
• Sense of being overwhelmed 

Obstructive sleep apnea is more common in men than women. Being male makes you two to three times more likely to have sleep apnea. Differences in upper airway anatomy, neurochemical mechanisms, the response to arousal, fat distribution, and sex hormones all contribute to the pathogenesis of the disease in men. 

Sleep Apnea Symptoms in Men

• General fatigue
• Extremely loud snoring
• Unstable mood
• Falling asleep anywhere and anytime 
• Frequent morning headaches
• Getting up to urinate often