Quick Answer
The most common sleep apnea symptoms are loud, frequent snoring, pauses in breathing that someone else notices, gasping or choking during sleep and excessive daytime sleepiness. Other signs include morning headaches, a dry mouth on waking, waking up to urinate at night, trouble concentrating and irritability. In Canada, 6.4% of adults report a sleep apnea diagnosis, but 14.9% screen as high risk, so many people with symptoms have not been tested. Symptoms are a reason to get assessed; only a sleep study can confirm sleep apnea.
At a glance
Key Takeaways
Loud snoring, witnessed pauses, gasping and daytime sleepiness are the classic signs.
A bed partner often notices the nighttime signs first.
6.4% of Canadian adults report a diagnosis, but 14.9% screen as high risk.
Symptoms point to testing; only a sleep study can confirm sleep apnea.
Symptoms At A Glance
| Symptom | When It Happens | Who Usually Notices | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loud, Frequent Snoring | Night | Bed partner or family | Common in obstructive sleep apnea, but many people snore without it |
| Pauses In Breathing | Night | Bed partner | One of the strongest reasons to get tested |
| Gasping or Choking Awake | Night | You or a partner | Often follows a pause as breathing restarts |
| Waking Up To Urinate | Night | You | Can be linked to sleep apnea as well as bladder or prostate problems |
| Restless, Broken Sleep | Night | You or a partner | Repeated brief awakenings you may not remember |
| Morning Headache or Dry Mouth | On waking | You | Can reflect mouth breathing or disturbed breathing overnight |
| Excessive Daytime Sleepiness | Day | You, family or coworkers | Dozing off when reading, watching TV or driving is a safety concern |
| Trouble Concentrating, Memory Lapses | Day | You or coworkers | Fragmented sleep affects attention and reaction time |
| Irritability or Low Mood | Day | You or family | Poor-quality sleep affects mood; other causes are common too |
Most people with sleep apnea have several of these signs rather than one. Our sleep apnea quiz can help you organize them before you talk to a professional.
Nighttime Signs Someone Else May Notice
Many of the clearest signs happen while you are asleep, so a bed partner, family member or roommate is often the first to notice. Ask them whether they have heard:
- Loud snoring most nights, especially snoring that stops and then restarts with a snort or gasp;
- Silent pauses in breathing;
- Choking, gasping or restless tossing.
Brief awakenings caused by these events usually are not remembered, which is why people with sleep apnea often believe they slept through the night. Read more about witnessed breathing pauses and snoring vs sleep apnea.
Daytime Signs You May Notice
Repeated sleep disruption shows up during the day. Common signs are:
- Excessive daytime sleepiness, such as falling asleep while reading, watching TV or sitting in traffic;
- Feeling unrefreshed even after a full night in bed;
- Morning headaches and a dry mouth or sore throat on waking;
- Brain fog, poor concentration or memory lapses;
- Irritability or low mood.
These signs overlap with many other conditions, including insomnia, short sleep, depression, thyroid problems and some medications, so they are clues rather than a diagnosis.
Symptoms In Women, Men And Children
Anyone can have sleep apnea. Men are more often described with loud snoring and witnessed pauses. Women are more likely to report fatigue, insomnia, headaches or low mood, which can delay recognition, and risk rises after menopause. See sleep apnea symptoms in women and sleep apnea symptoms in men.
In children, signs can include snoring, mouth breathing, restless sleep, bedwetting and behaviour or attention problems rather than sleepiness. Talk to your child’s doctor if you notice these. Virtual Sleep Care’s testing services are for adults.
How Common Is Sleep Apnea In Canada?
In the 2016–2017 Canadian Health Measures Survey, 6.4% of adults aged 18 to 79 reported that a health professional had diagnosed them with sleep apnea. A further 14.9% were at high risk on the STOP-Bang screening questionnaire, which suggests many Canadians with sleep apnea have not been diagnosed (Statistics Canada).
What Symptoms Can And Cannot Tell You
Symptoms and screening questionnaires help decide who should be tested. They cannot confirm sleep apnea, measure how severe it is or tell obstructive from central sleep apnea. That needs a sleep study, such as a home sleep apnea test or an in-lab study, interpreted by a qualified professional. Learn how sleep apnea is diagnosed.
When To Get Assessed
Talk to a health professional or consider testing if you have:
- Witnessed breathing pauses or gasping;
- Loud snoring plus daytime sleepiness or morning headaches;
- Sleepiness that affects work, driving or safety;
- High blood pressure that is hard to control, atrial fibrillation or type 2 diabetes along with snoring.
Bring notes from a bed partner and a list of your medications to your appointment.
Urgent Safety Concerns
Do not drive or operate machinery if you feel dangerously sleepy (see sleep apnea and driving in Canada). Call 911 for severe breathing difficulty, chest pain, signs of stroke or loss of consciousness.
Sources
- Statistics Canada. Sleep apnea in Canada, 2016 and 2017 (Health Fact Sheets). https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/82-625-x/2018001/article/54979-eng.htm
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Sleep Apnea: Symptoms. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/sleep-apnea/symptoms
- Public Health Agency of Canada. Sleep apnea. https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/chronic-diseases/sleep-apnea.html
- American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Clinical practice guideline for diagnostic testing for adult obstructive sleep apnea (2017). https://aasm.org/aasm-publishes-new-guideline-for-diagnostic-testing-for-adult-sleep-apnea/
Disclaimer
This page is general health information, not medical advice, and it does not replace an assessment by a qualified health professional. Virtual Sleep Care does not currently serve Quebec, Yukon, the Northwest Territories or Nunavut.
Complete guide: Sleep Apnea