What is Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA)
Sleep apnoea is a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing starts and stops during sleep. The body’s response to these pauses results in small awakenings or arousals causing disruption to sleep. Common symptoms include snoring, choking, gasping, a dry sore throat and symptoms of sleepiness and fatigue during the day. 1 in 20 Australians are affect by sleep apnoea. Untreated sleep apnoea prevents your body from getting the benefits of proper sleep.
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Snoring
Not everyone who snores is suffering from Sleep Apnoea.
Snoring is often a symptom of obstructive sleep apnoea. However, it is important to remember that not everyone who snores is suffering from this disease. We can recommend a sleep study, overseen by a trained Sleep Technologist and reviewed by a Sleep Physician, which will determine if you suffer with simple snoring alone or do you in fact suffer with sleep apnoea or another sleep disorder.
Sleep is Important
Sleep is essential for our health. Research has found that sleep assists in all of the following:
Keeping the heart & blood vessels healthy
Repairing the body’s tissues and stimulating growth
Strengthening the immune system
Regulating weight and appetite
Controlling blood glucose levels
Sleep Apnoea & Your Health
Because sleep is so important, the interruption caused by sleep apnoea can have a devastating effect on your health and well-being. Left untreated, sleep apnoea can cause all of the following issues and more:
Waking up feeling tired and exhausted
Snoring and restless sleep
Relationship stress, often caused when the patient’s snoring interrupts a partner’s (or the whole household’s) sleep
Heart attacks and strokes
Chronic high blood pressure
Car accidents – sleepy people have slower reaction times and may fall asleep at the wheel
Clinical depression – 20% to 40% of sleep apnoea sufferers display depression symptom.
Good news is sleep apnoea is an easily treated sleep disorder. The gold standard treatment of this disorder is Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy, particularly for moderately severe to severe sleep apnoea. Alternative treatment options include surgery, a dental device, or more simple measures including weight loss or positional therapy.