Apr
13
2010
Can sleep apnea cause headaches during the day?
Posted by: Alan in Obstructive Sleep Apnea, tags: Apnea., Cause, During, headaches, Sleep
I have sleep apnea…or atleast I think I do. People tell me that when I sleep, I stop breathing for awhile and make noises like I am choking. Is this sleep apnea? And if it is, does it cause headaches throughout the day? Because I have headaches almost everyday and I can’t think of what causes them.
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April 13th, 2010 at 7:36 am
sleep apnea can most assuredly cause headaches, and severe fatigue and heart disease. Suggest you have a sleep study and get that treated.
April 13th, 2010 at 7:46 am
Yes, when you stop breathing at night, the heart cannot pump your blood through your vessels. They are known to cause migraines. Go into a cool room when you have these to help alleviate the pain. They will not go away until your apnea is cured. Try going for a consultation at a sleep doctor. My mate has had sleep apnea and migraines until he was fitted with a breathing machine. Now no headaches.
April 13th, 2010 at 8:27 am
You kind of have 2 questions here so to answer, yes, when you stop breathing when you’re sleeping it is typically referred to as sleep apnea. The noise may be you ‘catching’ your breath when you do start breathing again. Also, since the brain/body is being deprived of oxygen AND you don’t sleep near as well with apnea as you would without this condition, your headaches could be caused by either the lack of oxygen, or the severe lack of sleep, or a combination of both. You should see your doctor and have a sleep study done. Then you can take steps to resolve the problem.
April 13th, 2010 at 8:42 am
It definitely could be the sleep apnea. Sleep apnea disturbs your normal sleep patterns, resulting in non-restful sleep which can lead to headaches.See your Md for testing. There is a machine that can help you sleep better, therefore reducing your headaches. If your Md sends you for a sleep study s/he may be able to confirm sleep apnea and possibly another problem you may have.
April 13th, 2010 at 8:57 am
Sleep deprivation of any kind can cause headaches.
April 13th, 2010 at 9:27 am
Sleep apnea does indeed cause headaches. I was diagnosed about 6 months ago. I feel better using CPAP machine while sleeping. You should have a sleep test done to determine if you have sleep apnea because there are much more serious life-threatening concerns about having sleep apnea than having headaches.
April 13th, 2010 at 10:18 am
Yes sleep apnea can cause head aches because you are being deprived of oxygen while sleeping. By the way you are choking. the headaches and interrupted sleep are your body’s way of signaling that something is wrong with you. I was diagnosed with sleep apnea and got my machine in 1999. Call a pulmonologist and go through a sleep study. when you get your machine you will notice the headaches will go away.
April 13th, 2010 at 10:32 am
Many things can cause headaches, perhaps sleep apnea among them.
I’m am neither a doctor nor a nurse. I have been using CPAP for 25+ years.
You should immediately and vigorously persue both sets of symptoms.
For the possible sleep apnea problem, your symptoms may be a sign of sleep apnea, or they may not. Get a sleep study, and if found to be affected by sleep apnea, you should immediately begin treatment.
Perhaps this will resolve the headaches, BUT
While you are waiting for the sleep study, see a doctor about the headaches. Headaches can have many causes, some trivial and some life threatening. Don’t presume that a sleep apnea diagnosis will be the key.
Please do this soon.