Sleep apnea is most common in people who are overweight. Men are also more at risk than women. Even children can have sleep apnea. Those who snore loudly and having high blood pressure; decreased size of the airways in their nose, throat, or mouth and family history of sleep apnea are at risk of developing sleep apnea.

The most common symptoms of sleep apnea are loud snoring, gasping during sleep and sleepiness during the day (hypersomnia).

Other signs and symptoms of sleep apnea may include :

Observed episodes of breathing cessation during sleep
Restless tossing and turning during sleep
Frequent urination at night
Waking tired after sleep
Dry throat when you wake up
Morning headaches
Having problems with memory and concentration
Feeling irritable and nervous
Mood swings or personality changes
Mild to severe chest pain
Swelling of the legs

Disruptive snoring may be a more prominent characteristic of obstructive sleep apnea, while awakening with shortness of breath may be more common with central sleep apnea.

People with sleep apnea often feel tired and sleepy during the day because their sleep quality is affected, as they move out of deep sleep and into light sleep several times during the night. Sleep apnea causes a reduction of oxygen in the bloodstream which results in overall deprivation of cellular functions in your body