Sleep apnoea is a condition which affects some people when they sleep, leading to interrupted breathing, occurring hundreds of times over a night. This leads to unrefreshing sleep, morning headaches, daytime sleepiness, and a muzzy head in addition to other medical problems such as heart disease, poorly controlled blood pressure and irregular heartbeats.
Remedies for Sleep Apnoea
Sleep apnoea may be diagnosed through symptoms of heavy snoring with breathing pauses through the night. A partner may hear the patient choking in the night and notice them to be sleepy and fatigued in the daytime, no matter how many naps they have.
This condition is more common in men, increases with age and in those who are overweight and consume alcohol before bed.
Remedies for sleep apnoea are to reduce the airflow obstruction, usually by losing weight, exercising or using medical devices to maintain a positive airway pressure to keep breathing maintained.
- Lose Weight: Help to reduce or manage sleep apnoea including maintaining a healthy weight, which helps to reduce fatty tissue buildup in the neck reducing the risk of airway obstruction.
- Exercise: Exercise can increase your cardiovascular fitness as well as help you to lose weight. Regular exercise leads to a stronger heart and lungs, supporting your body’s ability to transport oxygen.
- Sleep on Your Side: Sleep apnoea is usually worse if sleeping on your back (supine). Symptoms can be improved if you lay on your side. However, some children unlike adults may have better control of their symptoms when sleeping on their back
- Prop Your Head Up: Mild symptoms may be improved by elevating the head of the bed by 10-15cm, or through the use of pillows or wedges to elevate your upper body from the waist when sleeping.
Medical Treatments to Cure Sleep Apnoea
Many things can be done to improve the symptoms of sleep apnea and reduce the severity. Weight loss can improve symptoms in those who are overweight or obese. Treatment of underlying medical problems such as heart failure can improve central sleep apnea. Reducing sedative medications such as morphine (opioids) or benzodiazepines can improve muscle tone and reduce snoring.
24 / 48 / 72 Hour ECG
24, 48 and 72-hour ECGs are available at The Health Suite. These can help to diagnose and record irregular heart rhythms that are not present all the time, which you might otherwise be able to capture on a standard 24-hour ECG. These can be useful for patients who have abnormalities in their heart rhythm which are not present all day.
24 Blood Pressure Monitor
This test takes blood pressure measures regularly throughout the day to give an average blood pressure over 24 hours. This helps to show the trend of your blood pressure as well as the average, which is a more accurate measure of blood pressure than a singular in-clinic blood pressure measurement
Home Visiting
Home visits are available for several services at The Health Suite. Sleep apnoea consultations can be completed within a patient’s home (at additional cost) for those unable to travel to the clinic. Sleep testing can also be set up within the patient’s home.
What is Sleep Apnoea?
Obstructive sleep apnoea/hypopnea syndrome (OSA or OSAHS), is characterised by repetitive episodes of airflow reduction (hypopnea) or cessation (apnoea) as a result of the upper airways collapsing during sleep.
In addition to this, OSA comprises symptoms consisting of excessive sleepiness, and cognitive-behavioural, respiratory, cardiac, metabolic, or inflammatory disorders secondary to repeated episodes of obstruction of the upper airway during sleep.
What Causes Sleep Apnoea?
OSA occurs when the soft tissues of the upper respiratory tract such as the tongue and soft palate relax. This causes narrowing or closure of the airways.
Try to stop breathing for one minute and see what happens. The same sensation and consequences happen in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea but are repeated all night long, every night while the person sleeps. Sometimes this occurs for more than one minute.
Due to their ability to work in real-time, they can be used to guide needle insertion in the example of a pain injection near nerve fibres or into joint spaces to help with painful or swollen joints.
Sleep Apnoea Risks?
- Obesity and a thick neck are the most common cause. However, anything that makes the Airway in the throat narrower can cause this problem. As well as anything that relaxes the individual’s muscles.
- Male gender. In men, the fat tends to be deposited in the torso, including the neck
- Menopause in females
- Craniofacial features and abnormalities in soft and hard tissues in the mouth or throat (adenoids, hypertrophic tonsils, nasal polyps, micrognathia, retrognathia, macroglossia, etc.)
- Diseases such as cardiopulmonary dysfunctions, diabetes, muscle hypotonia, stroke, neurological conditions, and
- Down syndrome, among others
- Tobacco, alcohol or sedatives (sleeping pills)
- Ageing
Common Q&A about Sleep Apnoea
Sleep apnoea is a serious sleep disorder characterized by repeated interruptions in breathing during sleep. These interruptions can last from a few seconds to minutes and can occur hundreds of times a night, leading to poor sleep quality and daytime fatigue.
The three main types of sleep apnoea are:
- Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA): Caused by a blockage of the airway, often due to relaxed throat muscles and tissues.
- Central Sleep Apnoea (CSA): Occurs when the brain fails to send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing.
- Complex Sleep Apnoea Syndrome: A combination of obstructive and central sleep apnea.
Common symptoms include:
- Loud snoring
- Gasping or choking during sleep
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Morning headaches
- Difficulty concentrating
- Irritability or mood changes
Risk factors include:
- Being overweight or obese
- Age (more common in middle-aged and older adults)
- Gender (more prevalent in men)
- Family history of sleep apnea
- Smoking and alcohol use
- Certain medical conditions (e.g., high blood pressure, diabetes)
Diagnosis typically involves a sleep study, which can be conducted in a sleep clinic or at home using portable monitoring equipment. The study measures various body functions during sleep, including breathing patterns, oxygen levels, and heart rate.
Treatment options may include:
- Lifestyle changes (weight loss, exercise, quitting smoking)
- Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy
- Oral appliances that reposition the jaw
- Surgery in severe cases (e.g., removing excess tissue from the throat)
While there is no definitive cure for sleep apnoea, effective management strategies can significantly reduce symptoms and improve quality of life. For some individuals, lifestyle changes can lead to the complete resolution of the condition.
Untreated sleep apnoea can lead to serious health complications, including:
- Cardiovascular problems (high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke)
- Increased risk of diabetes
- Daytime fatigue leading to accidents
- Poor mental health (anxiety, depression)
Tips for improving sleep quality include:
- Maintaining a regular sleep schedule
- Sleeping on your side rather than your back
- Avoiding alcohol and sedatives before bed
- Creating a comfortable sleep environment
If you experience symptoms of sleep apnoea, such as loud snoring, choking during sleep, or excessive daytime sleepiness, it’s important to consult a healthcare provider. Early diagnosis and treatment can help prevent complications and improve overall health.