Lifestyle
Loud Snoring and Daytime Sleepiness Can Be Signs of Sleep Apnea. Other Signs a Partner Often Notices First
By Erica Coleman · October 28, 2026
Many people who have sleep apnea find out from someone else. A spouse mentions the snoring, or long, quiet stretches at night when breathing seems to stop.
That pattern is typical. According to MedlinePlus, the National Library of Medicine’s consumer health site, most people with obstructive sleep apnea do not know their breathing starts and stops during the night. It says a sleep partner or other family members usually hear the loud snoring, gasping and snorting.
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute describes sleep apnea as a common condition that occurs when your breathing stops and restarts many times while you sleep, which can keep the body from getting enough oxygen. The most common type, obstructive sleep apnea, happens when the upper airway becomes blocked again and again during sleep.
The institute says the risk increases as you get older, in part because fatty tissue can build up in the neck and tongue with age. Sleep apnea is also more common in men than in women, and obesity, drinking alcohol and smoking can raise the risk.
These are the signs described by the NHLBI and MedlinePlus, starting with those a bed partner may catch.
Loud, heavy snoring. MedlinePlus calls loud snoring a telltale symptom and says people with the condition usually begin snoring heavily soon after falling asleep. The snoring can be loud enough to hear through walls. It also notes that not everyone who snores has sleep apnea.
Pauses in breathing. MedlinePlus says the snoring may be interrupted by a long silent period while breathing stops. The NHLBI lists breathing that starts and stops.
Gasping, choking or snorting. MedlinePlus says the silence is followed by a loud snort and gasp as the person tries to breathe, and the pattern repeats through the night. Sometimes people wake up gasping for air.
Other signs show up during the day, and the person may notice them first.
Sleepiness and tiredness. The NHLBI lists daytime sleepiness and tiredness, which it says can lead to problems with focusing and reacting. MedlinePlus says people may wake up unrefreshed, feel drowsy throughout the day, or fall asleep while reading or watching TV.
Drowsy driving. MedlinePlus lists feeling sleepy while driving, or even falling asleep at the wheel, and says daytime sleepiness from sleep apnea can raise the risk of motor vehicle accidents.
Morning headaches and dry mouth. MedlinePlus lists headaches, especially in the morning. The NHLBI lists headache and dry mouth.
Waking often to urinate. The NHLBI includes waking up often during the night to urinate.
Mood and memory changes. MedlinePlus says people may act grumpy, impatient or irritable, or be forgetful.
The concern goes beyond feeling tired. The NHLBI says untreated sleep apnea increases the risk for stroke, heart attack and other serious problems. MedlinePlus says untreated obstructive sleep apnea may lead to or worsen heart disease, including heart rhythm problems, heart failure and high blood pressure.
If someone tells you that you snore or gasp for air during sleep, the NHLBI suggests talking with your healthcare provider. The institute says a sleep study can help diagnose which type of sleep apnea a person has and how serious it is. MedlinePlus notes that the test can be done at home or in a sleep lab.
Treatment is designed to keep the airway open during sleep. MedlinePlus says continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, devices work well for most people, and that avoiding alcohol before bedtime, not sleeping on your back and losing excess weight may help those with mild sleep apnea. In most cases, it says, treatment completely relieves symptoms.
This article is for general information and is not medical advice. Talk with your doctor about any symptoms of sleep apnea, especially if you feel drowsy while driving. This article was produced with the assistance of AI and fact-checked against the sources cited by LightWave Reports.