Health & body · 1999
Can people with obstructive sleep apnea fail to notice daytime sleepiness detected by a test?
Possibly, but this small study provides only indirect evidence. Among 10 patients with obstructive sleep apnea, self-reported daytime sleepiness had no statistically significant relationship with sleepiness measured by how quickly they fell asleep during a daytime test. This suggests that some patients may not recognize their sleepiness, but does not prove they were unaware of it.
Details
Researchers compared patients’ answers to a sleepiness questionnaire with a daytime test measuring how quickly they fell asleep, alongside overnight sleep measurements. There was no statistically significant relationship between the questionnaire and daytime test results. The authors interpreted this as suggesting that some patients may not recognize their daytime sleepiness. With only 10 participants, however, the finding does not prove that the measures are unrelated or directly establish a lack of awareness.
Shorter times to fall asleep were significantly associated with more awakenings and more frequent episodes of stopped or reduced breathing during sleep. This supports a link between disrupted sleep and test-measured daytime sleepiness, without proving cause and effect. Low oxygen during the night was not associated with either self-reported or test-measured sleepiness.
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