It is possible to make your own sleep apnea diagnosis based on certain symptoms that are almost always caused by sleep apnea.  For example, choking, gasping, wheezing, snorting, and loud snoring are almost always signs of sleep apnea.  This is the body's response to not being able to breathe for that moment that the airway is cut off, which is what is meant by sleep apnea.  And while many people wake up during an attack of sleep apnea just long enough to get themselves breathing again and are rarely aware of the fact that they are now awake, sometimes a person will be awake long enough to realize it.  This too can aid in your sleep apnea diagnosis, if you realize that you're awake suddenly for no good reason.

Morning headaches are also a common symptom for a sleep apnea diagnosis.  When the body is without oxygen on a regular basis, even for just a few seconds, this can starve the brain enough for it to cause a headache in the morning.  Of course a person can wake up with headaches because of a poor sleeping position, physical pain or injury, or any number of other reasons that may be separate from a sleep apnea diagnosis.

The best way to get an accurate sleep apnea diagnosis is to see one's doctor.  Many times a patient or sufferer will be sent to a sleep clinic where one's sleep pattern can be properly studied.  A sleep clinic can also be useful in pinpointing the cause of the condition once a sleep apnea diagnosis is made.  Many times this condition can be brought on by one's weight, as the excess tissue around the neck and throat can push down on the airways.  Or, there can be an obstruction in the throat or sinuses as well.  With central sleep apnea, the signals from the brain to the lungs in order to keep them functioning throughout the night are interrupted for whatever reason.