Sleep apnea is a severe sleep disorder, where breathing stops and starts during sleep. There are three types of sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common, and it occurs when throat muscles relax. Central sleep apnea occurs when the brain fails to send appropriate signals to the muscles that control breathing. Finally, complex sleep apnea is a combination of obstructive and central sleep apnea.
The home sleep apnea test (HSAT) is one of the most preferred methods of diagnosing sleep apnea. The test is usually conducted at night through a breathing monitor that an individual wears. The monitor can track oxygen levels and breathing patterns. These home tests make it easy for doctors to evaluate if a person has a sleeping disorder.
Some of the common symptoms of sleep apnea disorder include gasping for air during sleep, snoring, morning headache, insomnia, and irritability. If left untreated, it can lead to various health problems such as stroke, hypertension, heart failure, diabetes, and obesity.