Snoring And Sleep apne Daytime Symptoms
While the nocturnal symptoms of OSAHS are characteristic
and tend to be more specifi c for the disease, the common
daytime symptoms are less specifi c as they can result from
abnormal sleep of any cause. Excessive daytime sleepiness
(EDS) is the most common daytime complaint in patients
with OSAHS; 30,35,41 however, as 30–50% of the general population
also report moderate to severe sleepiness, 8,59 this symptom
alone is a poor predictor of OSAHS. EDS is caused by
sleep fragmentation leading to frequent arousals and insuffi
cient sleep; 40 it is manifested by the inappropriate urge to
sleep, particularly during relaxing, sedentary activities (i.e.
watching television, reading). As it worsens, the inability to
control sleepiness can result in dozing during meetings, active
conversations, and at mealtimes. When severe, EDS can be a
cause of motor vehicle and machinery accidents, poor school
or job performance, and relationship discord.
