Snoring

• One way that you can differentiate central sleep apnea from obstructive sleep apnea is that snoring is not often associated with central sleep apnea. It is possible that people suffering from central sleep apnea snore from time to time because there is still the defect in the brain's signals to the lungs preventing them from breathing properly at night. But according to the Mayo Clinic, snoring is much less prevalent in central sleep apnea as it would be with obstructive sleep apnea.
  
  

Daytime Fatigue

• Because people suffering from central sleep apnea are not getting a full night's sleep, they are tired during the day. They are unable to concentrate on their daily tasks, and they can sometimes fall asleep while driving or in other dangerous situations. This daytime fatigue can be seen in the person's inability to remain awake when someone is talking to them, if they act irritable during the course of the day or if they seem to shake during the day. These are all signs that the person is not getting sufficient rest during the night, and they could qualify as symptoms of central sleep apnea.
  
  

Breathing When Awake

• Another unique feature of central sleep apnea as opposed to obstructive sleep apnea is that some symptoms of central sleep apnea can be experienced while the person is awake. If a person has a difficult time breathing when they are lying down and can only catch their breath after they sat up, then that could be a symptom of central sleep apnea.
  
  

Insomina

• Not only can it be difficult for people with central sleep apnea to sleep well through the night, it may also be difficult for them to stay asleep all night long. At several points through the night the person will wake themselves up and then find it difficult to go back to sleep.
  
  

Breathing When Asleep

• Obstructive sleep apnea is normally characterized by someone who will stop breathing several times a night for a few seconds. Central sleep apnea is characterized by people who will stop breathing up to a few hundred times a night, and the breathing may stop for as many as 20 seconds at a time. This can be seen when the person is sleeping as he begins to gasp for air several times during the night.