As a consequence of the poor sleep, the person may feel sleepy during the day. Other symptoms of sleep apnea include restlessness, sweating during sleep, morning headaches, irritability, difficulty concentrating, and even insomnia. When the air passage is blocked oxygen cannot get in, therefore, oxygen in the body decreases. With the arousal the air passage opens and lets the oxygen in. Because arousals are usually brief, people who suffer from sleep apnea do not realize that these events are occurring during their sleep.
All arousals lead to sleep disruption and cause sleepiness the next day.
Untreated obstructive sleep apnea increases other health risk such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and strokes. The associated sleepiness increases the risk of accidents, including car accidents and work related injuries. Obstructive sleep apnea is diagnosed with a sleep test that is usually performed in a sleep laboratory . During a sleep test, breathing, heart rate, brain waves, and muscle activity are monitored. This information is essential to determine proper treatment.