Red flag sign of common sleep disorder that can cause headaches and mood swings

Struggling to sleep can really affect your day. Without a restful kip you may find yourself unable to concentrate on simple tasks and generally feeling under the weather.

If you often find yourself unable to sleep through the night, you may be suffering with a common sleep disorder - and it comes with a red flag warning sign that often goes unnoticed, according to one doctor.

Dr Joachim Behar said many people may be glazing over the symptom, or may not even realise they’re experiencing it.

READ MORE: Five medical conditions that could be causing extreme tiredness

Read more health stories from the Manchester Evening News here.

Obstructive sleep apnoea is the most common type of sleep apnoea. The condition causes your breathing to stop and start while you’re sleeping.

One symptom that is often disregarded is snoring, Dr Behar says. Speaking to The Post, he explained: “Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is an extremely common condition, impacting hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Yet, millions suffer in silence because common symptoms of OSA may be overlooked or difficult to detect because they occur during sleep.”

As well as snoring, other symptoms of OSA include:

“The good news is that some simple lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, sleeping on your side, and avoiding alcohol and sleeping pills can help reduce symptoms of OSA," Dr Behar said. "Sleep is a growing public health concern because so many people across the globe do not receive the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep each night.”

The NHS says you should speak to your GP if your breathing stops and starts while you’re sleeping, you gasp, snort or choke during sleep, or if you feel very tired during the day. Getting diagnosed can include