Sleep Apnoea

Sleep apnoea is a serious sleep disorder that occurs when a person's breathing is interrupted during sleep. People with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times. This means the brain and the rest of the body may not get enough oxygen.

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There are two types of sleep Apnoea;

1. Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA)

The more common of the two forms of apnoea (More than 500,000 cases per year in Australia) it is caused by a blockage of the airway, usually when the soft tissue in the back of the throat collapses during sleep. If left untreated, sleep apnoea can have serious and life-shortening consequences, which can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, automobile accidents caused by falling asleep at the wheel, diabetes or depression. An in-home or in-center sleep study can diagnose OSA and many other sleep disorders.

Risk factors includes the following;

• Being male, over age of 40yrs

• You’ve complained of waking up with morning headaches, dry mouth or a sore throat

• Your bed partner has observed that you gasp for air in the night

• You wake up frequently in the night to urinate

• Having large tonsils, a large tongue, or a small jaw bone

• Having a family history of sleep apnea

• Nasal obstruction due to a deviated septum, allergies, or sinus problems

• Cigarette smoking and excessive alcohol consumption

• Experienced excessive daytime sleepiness

• Concentration and memory issues

• Feeling down and irritable

• Your neck circumference is over 17″ (for men) or 15″ (for women)

• Your body mass index (BMI) is over 30

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2. Central Sleep Apnoea

Unlike OSA, the airway is not blocked, but the brain fails to signal the muscles to breathe, due to instability in the respiratory control center