Imagine if you found yourself having trouble breathing, gasping for breath or coughing several times an hour throughout the day. For millions of Americans, this problem occurs every time they fall asleep. This condition is known as sleep apnea, and if left untreated it can lead to serious health issues. Here are the warning signs that mean it’s time to visit one of our Winchester, VA, neurologists for an evaluation.

What are the symptoms of sleep apnea?

Unfortunately, there are many people who have sleep apnea but don’t even know it. Sometimes a person doesn’t even know that something is wrong until their partner tells them that they are displaying symptoms of sleep apnea. It’s time to see your Winchester, VA, sleep specialist if you are experiencing,

Persistent, loud snoring: While snoring doesn’t always mean that you have sleep apnea, the majority of people with sleep apnea do snore on a regular basis.

Excessive sleepiness: If you have one night of bad sleep it’s normal to feel a little tired, but if you deal with sleep apnea you’ll experience extreme fatigue and sleepiness throughout the day no matter how many hours of sleep you get.

Gasping for air: While this won’t happen to everyone, if you do have sleep apnea you may find yourself waking up throughout the night gasping for air or feeling as if you are choking.

Unpleasant morning symptoms: Those with sleep apnea often wake up with dry mouth, sore throat and morning headaches.

Restless sleep: If you wake up frequently throughout the night or feel as if you toss and turn to fall back to sleep this is another symptom of sleep apnea.

If you are dealing with sleep apnea in Winchester, VA, relief is on the way. Winchester Neurological Consultants has a sleep disorder clinic where we can diagnose and treat your sleep problems to help you get better sleep and improve your health. Call us today at (540) 667-1828 to schedule your sleep study.

Worried your sleep woes may be caused by a sleep disorder?

While most people will deal with sleep problems at some point during their lifetime, there are approximately 70 million Americans suffering from a sleep disorder. A sleep disorder is any condition that affects someone’s ability to have quality sleep. While there are over eighty different kinds of sleep disorders there are some that our Winchester, VA, neurologists see more often than others.

These common sleep disorder include,

• Insomnia
• Obstructive sleep apnea
• Restless leg syndrome
• Narcolepsy

Insomnia

Insomnia refers to a person’s inability to get the proper amount of sleep. Insomniacs may have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. If you have trouble falling asleep three nights per week for over three months then this is considered chronic insomnia, which should be evaluated by one of our physicians.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

There are many people who have obstructive sleep apnea but never know it. This condition often presents itself as loud, chronic snoring. The patient may also wake up in the middle of the night gasping for air. Sleep apnea is a medical condition that causes a person to stop breathing for several seconds throughout the night. As a result, untreated sleep apnea can lead to serious health problems such as stroke, heart attack, heart failure and high blood pressure.

Restless Leg Syndrome

Just as the name suggests, this neurological disorder results in a tingling, aching or burning sensation in the legs that make a person feel that sudden urge to move. The symptoms may lessen when walking or stretching. Those with RLS may also have trouble falling asleep due to leg restlessness.

Narcolepsy

People with narcolepsy fall asleep suddenly, often at inopportune or inappropriate times throughout the day. Patients will narcolepsy can be hit with a sudden sleep attack at any time and it may be in response to something emotionally charged. Sleep paralysis and hallucinations may also occur.

When should you see a sleep specialist?

If you are dealing with excessive fatigue and exhaustion throughout the day, if you don’t feel refreshed after a full night’s rest, if you snore loudly or if you feel like you are tossing and turning throughout the night it’s a good idea to see a sleep specialist who can perform a simple sleep study to determine whether you may have a sleep disorder.

Are you having trouble counting sheep in Winchester, VA? If sleep has become elusive and you are dreaming of getting a good night’s rest then call the doctors at Winchester Neurological Consultants to schedule an evaluation. Call (540) 667-1828.