Last updated on July 7th, 2023 at 10:37 am
If you or your partner are constantly feeling tired throughout the day, then you might have OSA. Find out below whether you suffer from OSA, and how to confirm your diagnosis!
20 percent of the population are estimated to suffer from excessive daytime sleepiness. This is most commonly due to undiagnosed and untreated sleeping disorders.
Symptoms of excessive daytime sleepiness include:
- Difficulty awakening from bed in the morning.
- Never feeling recharged. Even if you feel like you’ve had an adequate amount of sleep.
- Feeling anxious and irritable during the day.
- Having difficulty focusing and concentrating during the day.
- Falling asleep during daily activities.
Excessive daytime tiredness is most commonly caused by sleeping disorders such as OSA, that have not yet been diagnosed. This means the required treatment (most commonly CPAP treatment) is not provided. A CPAP machine can only be obtained once you have confirmed that you have OSA, by taking a sleep study.
You might also suffer from excessive daytime sleepiness if you have been taking sedating medications.
I suffer from excessive daytime sleepiness, so does that mean I have OSA?
Excessive daytime sleepiness is one of the most common symptoms of someone who suffers from OSA. Sufferers of OSA experience breathing cessations throughout the night. These cessations are short but frequent, and can leave you falling in and out of sleep all throughout the night. Most often- without you subconsciously realising it. This means that you could wake up in the morning still feeling exhausted, even it appears you had an adequate amount of hours of sleep.
It is estimated that 26 to 32 percent of adults are at risk of OSA. About 90 percent of those are left undiagnosed and untreated. This could be because the symptoms for the sufferer are hard to notice as they are subconsciously falling in and out of sleep during the night. A sleeping partner on the other hand, may be able to notice the obvious tell tale symptoms of OSA. Symptoms you can look out for in your partner are loud snoring, or a choking or gasping sensation during their sleep.
To be sure that you are treated correctly, you should conduct a sleep study test. A sleep test will determine if you have OSA, and the severity of your condition. Once you have been diagnosed for OSA, you will be able to get CPAP treatment. More information about CPAP treatment can be found by reading our ‘Sleeping with Apnea‘ blog series.
Can untreated OSA have any further complications?
Treating OSA is very important, as untreated OSA can leave to serious long term health risks including stroke and heart failure. OSA is also responsible for up to 20 percent of road accidents, so if those 20 percent of drivers got diagnosed and treated, a large population could be saved from the 1,500 fatal accidents that occur. The National Transportation Safety Board suggest that up to 52 percent of crashes involve lorry drivers, with 17.6 percent of those cases involve drivers who fall asleep at the wheel. Raising awareness of OSA is most important if we want to ensure safe roads.
How can I get assessed for OSA?
If you believe you are at risk of OSA, then you need to take a sleep study to confirm your diagnosis. Once you have confirmed your diagnosis, you will then be able to obtain a CPAP machine. You can conduct a sleep study through the NHS or order a private, at-home sleep study.
Going through the NHS is free, but can take several months depending on your location. You also have limited or no choice in the equipment you receive. It is of course a very popular option if you want to save costs.