The most common symptoms of sleep apnoea (also referred to as obstructive sleep apnoea or OSA) are snoring or gasping during sleep leading to poor-quality sleep, with subsequent daytime sleepiness, fatigue and difficulty concentrating. These symptoms arise from repeated airway blockages that cause the body to partially awaken many times each hour overnight to restart breathing.

There is no specific cause of sleep apnoea, other than head and neck muscles and tissues relaxing during sleep and obstructing the windpipe. However, several physical, inherited, and lifestyle factors can increase your risk of developing sleep apnoea.

 What are the symptoms of sleep apnoea?

Often, the most obvious symptoms of sleep apnoea are first observed by a sleeping partner who may report (or complain of) hearing snoring or gasping or observe unexplained pauses in breathing during your sleep.

Individuals with sleep apnoea may experience insomnia, night sweats or waking up short of breath, often with a sensation of choking. Other symptoms of sleep apnoea are more subtle, resulting from poor-quality sleep overnight. Such symptoms of sleep apnoea can include:

·       Daytime sleepiness or drowsiness while going about a typical day after a healthy 7-9 hours of sleep.

·        Mood changes that mimic depression or anxiety.

·        Memory loss or difficulty concentrating.

·        Headaches, especially in the morning, often followed by a ‘foggy brain’ throughout the day.

·        Uncomfortable dry mouth upon waking, often with a sore throat caused by snoring.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms it is important to discuss them with your GP or pharmacist to rule out sleep apnoea. Untreated sleep apnoea can increase your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes and poor quality sleep is linked to driving and workplace accidents.

Your local Capital Chemist Pharmacist can arrange a sleep study without a referral. Come in-store and ask for more information today if you think you may have sleep apnoea.

What causes sleep apnoea or increases your risk of developing sleep apnoea?

Sleep apnoea (obstructive sleep apnoea) is caused by muscles or tissues relaxing so much they obstruct the windpipe while you sleep. This causes the brain to wake the body to resume breathing. It can occur randomly but is usually the result of one or more of the following risk factors:

 ·       Being male or over 50 years of age.

·        Having a family history of sleep apnoea.

·        Other medical conditions including hormone disorders, neuromuscular conditions and abnormal physical structure of the mouth or throat.

·        Having large tonsils, tongue, or a thick neck.

·        Increased fat deposits on the neck, usually from carrying excess weight.

·        Lifestyle choices including drinking alcohol or smoking.

·        Use of certain prescription and over-the-counter medications including certain antihistamines, anti-anxiety, opiate pain relief and barbiturate medications.

 While many factors are outside our control, maintaining a healthy lifestyle can reduce your overall risk.

 Is there a cure for sleep apnoea?

There is no instant cure for sleep apnoea, but there are treatment options that reduce breathing disruption and their impact on your life. The most common treatment for sleep apnoea is a CPAP machine that provides gentle air pressure to hold the throat open overnight. By keeping the airways open it prevents blockages and keeps oxygen flowing, allowing you to finally get a good night of restorative sleep.

Some less severe cases of sleep apnoea can be reversed or significantly reduced with lifestyle changes and treatment of any underlying conditions.

There are some less common types of sleep apnoea that do not respond to treatment with a CPAP machine and may require urgent referral to a sleep physician.

If you are experiencing symptoms of sleep apnoea, speak to your local Capital Chemist Pharmacist about a pharmacy sleep study today.