Q. What are the symptoms of sleep apnea? A. Sleep apnea has one major tip-off: Loud and harsh snoring interspersed with long pauses when breathing stops for extended periods. This is followed by a violent snort, gasp, or moan when the brain signals a need for more oxygen. It’s these constant disruptions throughout the night, with its reduced levels of oxygen in the blood and increased levels of adrenaline from the autonomic nervous system, that are thought to cause unnatural surges in blood pressure experienced by people with sleep apnea. |
