Sleep apnea is a common condition that affects millions of Americans each year. But because the symptoms are so subtle, many people who suffer from sleep apnea are unaware of or misattribute their symptoms. That’s why Dr. Goel recommends taking a specialized sleep study to determine whether your symptoms are related to sleep apnea.
Learn about common symptoms and diagnosing sleep apnea with a sleep study in our guide to diagnosis below.
Sleep apnea has several symptoms that might go unnoticed in some people. In some cases, doctors misdiagnose the condition for another, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or depression. Understanding the symptoms can help you and your loved ones identify the need for a sleep study.
Common signs and symptoms of sleep apnea include:
We recommend scheduling an appointment with a sleep specialist if you’re experiencing any of these distressing signs.
An overnight study with a sleep specialist helps us definitively determine whether you’re suffering from sleep apnea. You can conduct this study in an office or from the comfort of your own home.
Your sleep doctor will monitor your vital signs, quality of sleep, and how many times you wake up during your study. This gives us the exact data we need to determine instances of sleep apnea. We’ll work closely with your sleep specialist to determine an effective treatment that’ll work best for you.
We may suggest taking a mild sleep aid such as melatonin if you’re restless or having trouble relaxing during your sleep study. However, you should consult with your specialist beforehand if this is a concern that you have. A symptom of sleep apnea is the inability to fall asleep, so they’ll likely have a solution that will allow us to collect the necessary information.
An at-home sleep study may be the solution for you if you’d feel more comfortable monitoring your sleep in your own home. Ask about at-home treatments during your consultation our Santa Clara office.
You should prepare as you would for spending a night at a hotel — pack any necessary medications, toiletries, and comfortable sleeping clothes.
We also recommend bringing a light form of entertainment such as a book, magazine, or anything that helps you feel relaxed. Reading before bed can help your brain unwind and allow you to fall asleep faster.
It’s crucial that we determine whether you’re definitively suffering from sleep apnea before we prescribe any treatment. Treatment for sleep apnea can’t help symptoms that arise from other disorders with similar symptoms.
The symptoms of sleep apnea can mimic those of other sleep or mental health disorders, such as depression or ADHD. Ruling sleep apnea out with a sleep study can help you target your symptoms and find the most accurate treatment possible.
Diagnosing your sleep apnea will put you on the fast track to effective treatments. We recommend visiting a sleep specialist to diagnose your disorder if you suspect you’re suffering from the effects of sleep apnea.
A sleep study with a specialist collects your vital signs and turns them into concrete data. We can then use the data to find out whether the disorder is disrupting your nights. Dr. Goel can target your symptoms with several effective treatments, keeping your airway open throughout the night.
Want to learn more? Contact us by calling our Santa Clara office at (408) 549-1602 to talk with a member of our sleep team.
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