Sleep Apnea (also called Sleep Apnoea) is a common sleep disorder that is characterized by brief interruptions of breathing during sleep, which force the sufferer to wake up to resume normal breathing, and disrupt and disturb their normal sleep cycle. These episodes, called apneas, usually last from a few seconds up to as long as sixty seconds in severe cases, and may occur repeatedly throughout the night.

Not everyone is automatically aware of the fact that they suffer from sleep apnea. This sleep disorder can range from mild to moderate to severe. Sometimes it takes a spouse or other family member to recognize the signs and make the patient aware of their health condition. Sleep apnea or sleep apnea syndrome basically means the "cessation of breath during sleep." The airways become restricted or blocked at a number of different spots, whether they be due to large tonsils, a large sized tongue, too much fatty tissue hanging over the airway, the nasal passages or the jaw.

The most common signs or symptoms of sleep apnea include loud and consistent snoring, gasping or choking throughout the night, excessive daytime fatigue and frequent episodes during sleep when breathing is labored or stops all together.

Other symptoms that point to sleep apnea include headaches upon waking, a dry mouth upon waking up, a feeling of not having had a good night's sleep, confusion upon waking up in the morning, problems concentrating on tasks, problems remembering thing as well as problems with memory, perspiring heavily in the night, a feeling of irritability, a frequent need to urinate throughout the night (known as nocturia), feeling depressed or developing changes in personality and/or mood swings. Still other symptoms may include a rapid gain in weight, insomnia, heartburn, high blood pressure, and a reduced sex drive. Children who suffer from sleep apnea can experience a retraction of their chests during nightly episodes. In other words their chest pulls in or caves in and they feel as if they are going to smother.

When these symptoms are noted it is important to schedule a visit to the doctor to see if a proper diagnosis can be made. In order to diagnose a case of sleep apnea a doctor will administer a sleep test to a patient known as a polysomnography. There are two different types of polysomnography tests (or polysomnograms). These include the overnight polysomnography test and a home monitoring polysomnography test.

The overnight polysomnography test monitors such actions as eye movement, respiration, brain waves, tension in muscles, the level of oxygen in the blood and finally, audio monitoring which includes such things as gasping, choking, snoring and so on. A professional known as a "sleep technologist" assists a patient with the second kind of polysomnography test- the home monitoring test. In this case the technologist attaches electrodes to the patient's body and then runs them through the entire procedure of how they can use a computerized polysomnograph in the privacy of their own home to record their sleep patterns. These tests usually take place over a period of one night and the computerized home monitoring test is returned to the doctor's office or hospital the following day. Most of the time these tests are covered by one's medical insurance coverage but when in doubt, check with your company beforehand. There is rarely any degree of pain associated with either of these sleep tests.
Always keep the lines of communication open between yourself and your doctor or healthcare provider. Ask all of the questions you need to regarding the signs and symptoms of sleep apnea as well as the sleep test used to diagnosis the condition.