Is it sleep apnea?

Question

I never would have thought I might have sleep apnea, but recenly I have considered it a possibility. For years I have had the problem of holding my breath in while I am sleeping, just to let it out in a gasp a short while after. I'm not overweight and I don't snore, but the fact that this sometimes prevents me from falling asleep and/or gives me an awful headache worries me.

Is it sleep apnea?

Answer 1

Sounds like it. You should check with your doctor if you can be refered to a sleep clinic where they will observe you while you sleep.

You could also change your sleep position, sleep on either of your sides.

Answer 2

I am not certain, but Apnea can get worse. So perhaps you had it in a milder form till now. I have never had problems till a couple years ago after surgery I was told that I had a sleep disorder. It turns out that my shallow breathing wakes me up about 26 times an hour (not all the way, just keeps me out of REM sleep). I'm also a Heroic snorer.

Answer 3

With sleep apnea you stop breathing while you are asleep, cutting off the oxygen to your brain during sleep. This can last for 5 or 6 seconds or 30 or more seconds. Thus possibly causing the headaches and can also cause you to feel like you haven't had a good nights rest and making you feel tired. I would say if it is causing you concern to speak with a doctor about it and he/she may recommend going to a sleep center to find out for sure if this is the case.

Answer 4

It is a sleep disorder. You do not "hold" your breath because the term holding implies that you are doing this voluntarily.
Sleep apnea is completely involuntary.
There are numerous sleep disorder clinics around and it is a specialty field where there are many sleep aids to help with individual problems.
Check it out.

Answer 5

Thats the way my husband does and loses his breathe,gasp and in the mean time I am listening and it takes a while for him to gasp.I get scared so I usually touch him to make him get his breath.I would go be checked out just to make sure.He had blockages is why he was doing that.He ended up having a heart attack had to have 5 by pass surgery and now he is fine.Please be checked and may God bless you.

Answer 6

Sleep apnoea does not involve holding your breath, but rather, your body does not trigger the inhalation of a breath.. With sleep apnoea, you don't breath, and in many cases your heart stops momentarily until the levels of nitrogen, oxygen, acid and others elements in the blood change sufficiently enough to trigger the breath response.

Answer 7

COULD BE SLEEP APNEA. I SUGGEST YOU DO AS I DID AND SEE YOUR FAMILY DOCTOR ABOUT IT. THEY WILL PROBABLY WANT YOU TO GET ASLEEP STUDY DONE TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT YOU HAVE SLEEP APNEA AND OR HOW SERIOUS IT IS.....I'M NEW TO IT ALL , BUT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH SEVERE OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA TWO WEEKS AGO AND NOW USE A CPAP MACHINE EVERY TIME I CLOSE MY EYES....I WILL BE IN SURGERY ON AUG. 6TH TO HAVE TONSILS, ABNOIDS, AND UVULA REMOVED....NOT EVERYONE HAS TO GO THROUGH ALL THIS........HOWEVER , THE MACHINE CAN DEFINATELY SAVE YOUR LIFE....GOOD LUCK, AND SO YOU KNOW....MOST INSURANCES COVER THE SLEEP STUDY AND COST OF MACHINE TOO....

Answer 8

sleep apnea is usually snoring. but u should ge get it checked out to make sure its not bad.

Answer 9

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Answer 10

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