Excessive Daytime Sleepiness Due to Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Even if you’re using your CPAP at night, there may be more
you can do if you’re still feeling tired during the day
Millions of people are impacted by excessive daytime sleepiness due
to
obstructive sleep apnea—a real medical condition. Common signs and symptoms include:
Brain fog
Trouble staying awake and alert during the day
Unrefreshing sleep
How is excessive daytime sleepiness due to obstructive sleep apnea assessed?
A common tool used by doctors to help assess a person’s level of tiredness is called the Epworth Sleepiness Scale. This quiz measures a person’s likelihood of dozing or falling asleep in everyday situations, like reading, watching TV, talking with a friend, or driving. Although the Epworth Sleepiness Scale is used for screening, a sleep study is typically conducted to confirm a diagnosis.
Many types of healthcare professionals (HCPs) can help diagnose excessive daytime sleepiness due to obstructive sleep apnea. If you think you may be experiencing any signs or symptoms, talk to your primary care physician or another HCP, like a sleep specialist, pulmonologist, neurologist, psychiatrist, nurse practitioner, or physician’s assistant.
One study showed that 1 out of 3 people with obstructive sleep apnea who were compliant with their CPAP still experienced excessive sleepiness during the day.
Causes of obstructive sleep apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the upper airway narrows or is blocked during sleep. This creates a cycle of abnormal breathing and sleep interruption. Research suggests that this cycle may harm the parts of the brain that control feeling awake or sleepy.
An estimated 18 million Americans have obstructive sleep apnea.
Impact of obstructive sleep apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea is not just a nighttime sleep disorder—its impact may be felt during the day. Airway therapy, such as CPAP, is important for treating the airway obstruction, but it may not completely relieve the symptom of excessive daytime sleepiness.
Feeling tired during the day is a major complaint of many people living with obstructive sleep apnea. Other signs and symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea include:
- Waking suddenly while gasping or choking
- Getting up with a sore throat or dry mouth
- Snoring loudly
- Waking up with a headache
As a reminder, SUNOSI does not treat the cause of obstructive sleep apnea or take the place of any device prescribed for obstructive sleep apnea, such as a CPAP. Continue to use any treatments or devices as prescribed by your doctor.
Do not take SUNOSI if you are taking, or have stopped taking within the past 14 days, a medicine used to treat depression called a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI).
Before taking SUNOSI, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, including if you:
- have heart problems, high blood pressure, kidney problems, diabetes, or high cholesterol.
- have had a heart attack or a stroke.
- have a history of mental health problems (including psychosis and bipolar disorders), or of drug or alcohol abuse or addiction.
- are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. It is not known if SUNOSI will harm your unborn baby.
- are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if SUNOSI passes into your breast milk. Talk to your doctor about the best way to feed your baby if you take SUNOSI.
- SUNOSI does not treat the underlying cause of obstructive sleep apnea and does not take the place of any device prescribed for obstructive sleep apnea, such as a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. It is important that you continue to use these treatments as prescribed by your healthcare provider.
Do not take SUNOSI if you are taking, or have stopped taking within the past 14 days, a medicine used to treat depression called a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI).
Before taking SUNOSI, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, including if you:- have heart problems, high blood pressure, kidney problems, diabetes, or high cholesterol.
- have had a heart attack or a stroke.
- have a history of mental health problems (including psychosis and bipolar disorders), or of drug or alcohol abuse or addiction.
- are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. It is not known if SUNOSI will harm your unborn baby.
- are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if SUNOSI passes into your breast milk. Talk to your doctor about the best way to feed your baby if you take SUNOSI.
The most common side effects of SUNOSI include:
- •headache
- •nausea
- •decreased appetite
- •anxiety
- •problems sleeping
or call
1-800-FDA-1088.
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