Answer the following ten questions.
- Do you experience sleepiness during the day?
- Do you snore while asleep?
- Do you awaken with a headache every morning?
- Do you routinely have a dry mouth in the morning?
- Have you ever awakened from sleep gasping for breath or choking?
- Do you routinely find it difficult to stay awake while watching TV, reading or attending a lecture?
- Has anyone told you that you hold your breath, snort, or often move while sleeping?
- Do you ever experience muscle weakness when excited or emotional?
- Do you have difficulty falling asleep?
- Do you have difficulty maintaining sleep?
If you answered “yes” to more than one of these questions, please contact the SSM Center for Sleep Disorders at one of the five convenient locations.
Sleepiness during the day or at times when you are expected to be alert can be sign that you are suffering from sleep deprivation, sleep apnea, narcolepsy, or another treatable medical condition. Daytime sleepiness puts you at risk by impairing your mental abilities, emotions, and performance.
Snoring, observed pauses in breathing, and gasping for air can be signs of sleep apnea. These abnormalities in your breathing pattern reduce blood oxygen levels and increase the workload of the heart and cardiovascular system. Being overweight or having a large neck can contribute to sleep apnea.