Tired of Being Tired? Your Daytime Fatigue Could Be from Sleep Apnea
Key Takeaways
- Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder that disrupts breathing and can cause chronic fatigue.
- Untreated sleep apnea not only leaves you exhausted but also raises risks for heart disease, diabetes, and other health problems.
- CPAP therapy is the most common and effective treatment, helping restore restful sleep and reduce daytime sleepiness.
Do you wake up groggy or sleepy, no matter how long you were asleep or in bed? It’s pretty easy to blame other things that make sense, like stress, staying up too late, or too much screen time. But if you find that you are dealing with persistent daytime fatigue, it might be a sign that you are dealing with something more serious, like sleep apnea.
An estimated 30 million adults¹ in the US have sleep apnea, but many of those are undiagnosed. Left untreated, sleep apnea can take a toll on energy levels and your overall health.
What is Sleep Apnea?
When you have sleep apnea, your breathing stops and starts repeatedly while you are sleeping. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common type. OSA happens when muscles in your throat become too relaxed and cause a blockage in your airway.
Central sleep apnea is not as common. It occurs when your brain fails to send the right breathing signals while you’re sleeping. Then, some people have complex sleep apnea syndrome, which is a combination of the two conditions. Many people don’t even know they have sleep apnea, since they are sleeping when it happens. A partner or family member notices the problem and alerts them.
How Sleep Apnea Affects Sleep
One of the reasons sleep apnea is hard to detect is that it doesn’t keep you from falling asleep initially. Once you do fall asleep, sleep apnea causes oral tissues to collapse and block the airway. This usually causes you to snore loudly, then it stops your breathing completely. Without enough oxygen, your body and brain start to panic. You wake up just enough for the tension in the tissues to return, so your airway clears. You may not even wake up during episodes, but your mind and body can’t rest long enough for you to enter into beneficial REM sleep.
Waking up for short periods all through the night, even if you don’t realize it or remember it means you don’t get good sleep. The body restores itself when you are in deep sleep. The result is that you are exhausted the next day due to fragmented sleep patterns.
Besides daytime fatigue, sleep apnea also increases your risk for:
- High blood pressure
- Type 2 diabetes
- Stroke
- Heart disease
- Depression and anxiety²
How to Tell if Your Daytime Fatigue is Caused by Sleep Apnea
You could have sleep apnea if you suffer from daytime fatigue even after getting a full night’s sleep. However, just because you have daytime fatigue doesn’t necessarily mean you have sleep apnea. There are some other symptoms that may occur alongside daytime fatigue. These signs let you know that your sleep is being disrupted, preventing your brain and body from getting the oxygen and rest it needs to function properly. Some of the other symptoms of sleep apnea to watch for include:
- Loud, persistent snoring
- Someone tells you that you stop breathing while you are asleep
- You know you wake up a lot throughout the night when you should be asleep
- Waking up with a dry mouth
- Morning headaches
What to Do if You Suspect You Have Sleep Apnea
If you suspect you have sleep apnea, whether you identified some symptoms yourself, or someone you know pointed them out, there are some things you can do.
Consult Your Healthcare Provider
Your first step is to schedule an appointment with your primary health care provider. They may recommend that you have a sleep study. These can be done at home or in a lab. The sleep study monitors your breathing, oxygen levels, and sleep stages. A medical professional can use a sleep study to diagnose sleep apnea if you have it.³
Make Certain Lifestyle Changes
There are a few lifestyle changes you can try in addition to sleep apnea treatment. These can help improve your sleep and help fight some daytime fatigue.
- Maintain a healthy weight for you
- Sleep on your side
- Eat a nutritious, energy-boosting diet
- Avoid consuming alcohol
- Stay hydrated
- Get plenty of exercise
- Quit smoking
Explore Treatment Options
If it is determined that you have sleep apnea, there are treatment options available. Discuss your options with your health care provider to determine which will work for you. For most people, combining medical treatment (CPAP therapy) with healthy sleep habits is highly effective for managing sleep apnea and its symptoms.
- Healthy Sleep Habits. Getting regular exercise, losing weight, and maintaining good sleep habits can help relieve many of the symptoms of sleep apnea. Changing your sleep position from your back to your side may be helpful.
- CPAP Therapy. The most prescribed and effective method for treating sleep apnea is the use of constant positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy.⁴ You wear a mask over your nose and mouth while you sleep. The mask is connected to a CPAP machine near your bed. The machine provides a constant flow of air through the mask to keep your airway open while you sleep. CPAP therapy helps you sleep better which can reduce daytime fatigue and alleviates some of the other symptoms of sleep apnea.
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Conclusion
If you have sleep apnea, you are not stuck dealing with daytime fatigue. Confirming the diagnosis and starting CPAP therapy can make a huge difference in your energy levels and help protect your health for the long-term.
Ready to take the next step toward getting better sleep? Take a look at CPAP machines, masks, and supplies at The CPAP Shop. Let us help you start your journey to restful nights and energized days. For additional assistance, give our expert customer care team a call at 866-414-9700.
References
- American Academy of Sleep Medicine. (2023, April 4). New national indicator report details importance of prompt sleep apnea diagnosis and treatment. Retrieved from https://aasm.org/new-national-indicator-report-details-importance-prompt-sleep-apnea-diagnosis-treatment/AASM
- Jehan, S., et al. (2017). Depression, obstructive sleep apnea and psychosocial health. Sleep Medicine Disorders. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5836734/ PMC
- WebMD. (2025, January 14). Sleep apnea tests and diagnosis. Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/sleep-apnea/diagnosing-sleep-apnea WebMD
- Dinh-Thi-Dieu, H., et al. (2020). Efficacy and adherence of auto-CPAP therapy in patients with obstructive sleep apnea: A prospective study. Multidisciplinary Respiratory Medicine, 15. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7037646/
