How Can I Tell If I'm Suffering from Sleep Apnea?

"The Healthy Geezer" answers questions about health and aging in his weekly column.

Question: How can I tell if I'm suffering from sleep apnea?

Answer: About 18 million Americans have sleep apnea. It's much more common in older adults and men. Apnea is Greek for "without breath."

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People with sleep apnea stop breathing for as long as 30 seconds at a time. These interruptions can happen hundreds of times a night. The breathing cessations may wake you and prevent you from getting a good night's sleep. These awakenings usually are so brief that you don't recall them.

The most common symptoms of sleep apnea include:

• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Loud snoring
• Observed episodes of breathing stoppages during sleep
• Abrupt awakenings with shortness of breath
• Awakening with a dry mouth or sore throat
• Morning headache
• Problems associated with sleep deprivation such as forgetfulness and mood changes.

About 90 percent of sleep-apnea victims have a windpipe blockage. Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the muscles in the back of your throat relax. These muscles support the soft palate, tonsils, tongue and uvula — that doohickey that hangs in the back of your mouth. When the muscles relax, your airway is narrowed and breathing is cut off. A blockage can also be caused by a lot of fatty tissue in the throat.