Sleep Conditions faqs

What causes sleep apnoea (OSA)?

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• Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA)  happens when the muscles at the back of the throat repeatedly becomes too narrow or even close completely during sleep.

• This blockage can make snoring worse and cause breathing to stop for short periods, from 10 seconds to over a minute.

• When this happens, oxygen levels in the blood drop, and the brain briefly wakes the person up so they can start breathing again.

• These short awakenings (called arousals) can happen many times each night, even hundreds of times  and surprisingly the person often doesn’t remember them.

• As a results of these constant interruptions, sleep is poor quality and unrefreshing, and the person might feel very tired during the day.

• People who are overweight, have large tonsils, or certain jaw shapes are at higher risk of developing OSA. Drinking alcohol and taking sedatives can also contribute to having OSA.

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What are  the symptoms of OSA?

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• The symptoms of OSA can vary between people.

• Some people know they snore loudly or move around a lot during sleep, and others might notice they stop breathing at night or wake up gasping or choking, or stop breathing (called apnea).

• Others may wake up with a dry mouth or have trouble staying asleep and think they have insomnia.

• Some people might need to get up many times during the night to urinate.

• Many people with OSA feel tired and  exhausted the next day and struggle to stay awake, especially in meetings or when sitting or lying down in the afternoon.

• Many people with OSA feel grumpy, have poor concentration, and experience mood changes.

• Men and women can have different symptoms: men often have loud snoring and daytime sleepiness, while women may feel more general fatigue, low mood, and trouble staying asleep.

• OSA increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, diabetes, depression and fibromyalgia.

• People with untreated OSA are around two and a half times more likely to have a car accident because they can fall asleep at the wheel. It also increases the risk of work accidents, especially if the job involves using machinery.

• OSA doesn’t only affect the person with the condition. Snoring and breathing pauses can disturb partners and even people in other rooms. Partners sometimes stay awake worrying and making sure the person starts breathing again.

• Sleep doctors use questionnaires like the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and STOP-BANG as part of their clinical assessment.

• The STOP-BANG test is a simple questionnaire used to find out if you might have sleep apnoea before doing a sleep study.

• A sleep study can be done by a sleep clinic, measures oxygen levels, heart rate and sleep patterns while you sleep overnight.

• A sleep study can be done in a sleep laboratory (in a hospital setting) and in some cases in the comfort of your home.

 

What are some treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)?

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• Around 40% of people with OSA also have insomnia symptoms (called COMISA, for co-morbid insomnia and sleep apnoea).

• People with COMISA can benefit from both OSA and  insomnia treatments like cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-i), which helps improve sleep habits and reduce worrying about sleep.

• Sleep Doctors start by recommending lifestyle changes, like losing weight, sleeping on your side, and avoiding alcohol and sedatives at night.

• The main treatment for OSA is a CPAP machine or sleep apnea machine, which pushes air into your throat to keep it open while you sleep.

• Some people with OSA prefer using an oral appliance like a mandibular advancement splint, which moves the lower jaw forward to help keep the airway open.

• Surgery can sometimes be an option to treat OSA.

 

CPAP

• People with moderate or severe OSA, may require more active treatment — especially if there is daytime sleepiness or other health problems like heart disease or high blood pressure.

• CPAP stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, and it is one of the most effective treatments for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA).  

• A CPAP machine has a small, quiet air pump that pulls in air from the room and gently pushes it through a tube connected to a mask worn over the nose or over the nose and mouth. This gentle air pressure acts like an "air splint," keeping the throat open so it doesn’t collapse while you sleep.

• The CPAP machine is only used at night, and it stops both the snoring and the breathing pauses.

• Many people find that once they get used to it, they feel much more rested and alert during the day.

• CPAP machines are usually quieter than snoring, so partners also sleep better.

• It can take some time to get used to wearing a mask and using the sleep CPAP machine, but there are many different types of masks and settings, so sleep doctors and sleep specialists can help find what works best for each person.

 

Mandibular advancement splint or oral appliance

• Besides CPAP, some people might use an oral appliance or mandibular advancement splint. This is like a double mouth guard that fits over the top and bottom teeth and keeps the jaw forward at night and helps keep the airway open.

• An oral appliance is especially useful for people with mild OSA or in those who cannot tolerate CPAP or prefer this type of therapy.

 

Other options for treating OSA

• Surgery is another treatment but is usually only recommended when CPAP and oral appliances don’t work.

• Other treatments (like mouth tapping) and snoring devices are sometimes advertised for sleep apnoea and snoring. Your sleep doctor can help figure out which options are safe and useful.

 

The key is to treat your  sleep apnea, as it  can help improve not just sleep but overall health and daytime energy. The benefits can be life changing.