Obstructive Sleep Apnea
What are the signs and symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
- Snoring, interrupted by pauses in breathing
- Gasping or choking during sleep
- Restless sleep
- Excessive sleepiness or fatigue during the day
- Poor judgment or concentration
- Irritability
- Memory loss
- High blood pressure
- Depression
- Obesity
- Large neck size (>17" in men; >16" in women)
- Crowded airway
- Morning headache
- Sexual dysfunction
- Frequent urination at night
If you or someone you know snores regularly and has one or more of the above symptoms, it may be Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
Also, you can take the Epworth Sleepiness Scale assessment.
Epworth Sleepiness Scale
The Epworth Sleepiness Scale is used to determine the level of daytime sleepiness. A score of 10 or more is considered sleepy. A score of 18 or more is very sleepy. If you score 10 or more on this test, you should consider whether you are obtaining adequate sleep, need to improve your sleep hygiene and/or need to see a sleep specialist. These issues should be discussed with your personal physician.
Use the following scale to choose the most appropriate number for each situation:
0 = would never doze or sleep.
1 = slight chance of dozing or sleeping
2 = moderate chance of dozing or sleeping
3 = high chance of dozing or sleeping
Print out this test, fill in your answers and see where you stand.
Situation | Chance of Dozing or Sleeping |
Sitting and reading | ____ |
Watching TV | ____ |
Sitting inactive in a public place | ____ |
Being a passenger in a motor vehicle for an hour or more | ____ |
Lying down in the afternoon | ____ |
Sitting and talking to someone | ____ |
Sitting quietly after lunch (no alcohol) | ____ |
Stopped for a few minutes in traffic | ____ |
Total score (add the scores up) | ____ |