What are some common symptoms of sleep apnea?

Symptoms of sleep apnea include excessive daytime sleepiness, loud snoring, waking up abruptly, morning headache and waking with a sore throat or dry mouth, reports Mayo Clinic. Other symptoms include difficulty staying asleep, attention problems and episodes of breathing cessation witnessed by a sleeping partner.

Experts recommend medical evaluation if snoring is sufficiently loud to disturb the sleeper or other people or if the sleeper awakens short of breath, warns Mayo Clinic. Intermittent pauses in breathing while sleeping or falling asleep at work or while driving due to drowsiness are also indicative of the need for further consultation with a medical professional.