I can help you improve their sleep and overall health by diagnosing and treating sleep apnoea and snoring.

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The process I use was developed by sleep specialist from Flinders University Australian and the  Institute of Sleep Health (AISH) for use in GP and has been tested in clinical trials ( in which I was the only Victorian  based GP).

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I can help you have a home-based sleep study if required and recommend the best treatment option to help improve your sleep.

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What is Snoring?

• Snoring is a loud sound that happens when air can’t move smoothly through the nose and throat during sleep.

• The noise is caused by soft tissue in the throat vibrating when the airway partly collapses.

• Snoring means air isn’t flowing easily to your lungs, which in some people can make sleep less restful.

• Snoring doesn’t only bother the person making the noise but usually disturbs anyone sleeping nearby.

• In some cases, partners end up sleeping in separate rooms, sometimes called “sleep divorce.”

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What are the link between snoring and sleep apnoea?

• Snoring can be a sign of a more serious sleep disorder called obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), but not everyone who snores has it.

• In sleep apnoea, a person stops breathing for short periods many times during the night. They  often don’t know this is happening.

• If you wake up still feeling tired, feel sleepy during the day, or if your snoring is followed by choking or gasping sounds, you might have sleep apnoea.
   

Factors that increase the chances of causes snoring?

• Snoring is more likely if you sleep on your back because your tongue and soft palate can fall backward and block your airway.

• People who are overweight often have extra tissue in the neck region, which makes snoring worse.

• Having a cold, allergies and in some people structural nasal problems can also block the airflow and lead to snoring.

• Drinking alcohol, taking certain medications (including some sleeping medication), smoking, and even getting older can cause the muscles in your throat to relax too much, making snoring more likely.

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How do I evaluate a Snorer and provide Snoring Solutions?

• A thorough history and examination of the snorer by a sleep doctor is the first step.

• Questionnaires like the STOP-BANG can be used to see if you have other risk factors of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

• If suitable, I may recommend doing a home-based sleep study (also known as a sleep apnea test), with equipment in my clinic.

 

Approaches to Snoring:

• Losing weight can help reduce or even stop snoring and avoiding alcohol and certain medications before bed can also make a big difference.

• Changing your sleeping position so you’re not lying on your back may help too.

• For other cases, sleep doctors  might suggest using a snoring mouth guard also referred to as an oral appliance, which brings the jaw forward and keeping the airway open during sleep.

• A dentist trained in dental sleep medicine can custom make these oral snoring mouth guards (also known as mandibular advancement devices), which work much better than store-bought ones.

• When snoring is associated with moderate or severe obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), a CPAP machine might be the best treatment option. This machine pushes air through a mask to keep your airway open all night.