Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that causes you to stop breathing while you sleep. This “choking” results in a lack of airflow to the brain. During the event your brain says, “Wake up! You’re not breathing!” which causes an adrenaline spikes and an arousal into a lighter state of sleep, followed by a gasp and labored breathing. That is until the next apnea occurs.

You could imagine that this kind of stress could lead to insomnia, fatigue, and headaches. It would also be instinctive that such a night's sleep could cause mood swings, feelings of unrest, and depression.

If you’ve been diagnosed with sleep apnea and are having feelings of depression or anxiety, talk to your doctor about your treatment options.