how do you know if you have sleep apnea

You can know if you have sleep apnea by looking for common symptoms such as loud snoring, gasping or choking sounds during sleep, pauses in breathing, waking up with a dry or sore throat, excessive daytime sleepiness, restless sleep, morning headaches, and difficulty concentrating. A partner or household member often notices these breathing disturbances or pauses during sleep. To confirm a diagnosis, a healthcare provider may recommend overnight sleep testing either in a sleep center or at home using monitoring devices that track breathing, oxygen levels, heart rate, and other body functions during sleep. If you have these symptoms or suspect sleep apnea, it is important to see a doctor for evaluation and diagnosis since untreated sleep apnea can lead to serious health problems.