This cycle of events can occur as few as five times per hour in mild cases, but exceeding 30 times per hour in patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea. With these constant interruptions, patients are unable to experience deep sleep, leading to long term fatigue and medical consequences.
The vast majority of patients who experience obstructive sleep apnea are unaware, sometimes going undiagnosed for decades. Sufferers often have no memory of night time events, so it often falls to family members and partners to instigate investigation. Signs and symptoms that you or your partner may be suffering from sleep apnea include:
- Intermittent snoring
- Waking up gasping or choking
- Fragmented light sleep or insomnia
- Teeth grinding or morning headaches
- Daytime irritability, clumsiness, and poor memory
- Anxiety or depression
- ADD/ADHD
- High blood pressure
- Reflux
What is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea, also known as sleep apnoea, is a disorder in which breathing is interrupted or abnormally low during sleep.
The most common type, obstructive sleep apnea, arises when the muscles of the tongue and throat lose tone during sleep, relaxing into the airway entrance and causing a physical barrier to breathing. With airflow restricted or ceased altogether, the oxygen supply to the brain diminishes. This prompts partial awakening, often with a gasp as the flow of air recommences.
The usual presentation of sleep apnea is a period of snoring that commences shortly after falling asleep, gradually increasing to a crescendo of loud snoring. For some people, this then culminates in a quiet period, called ‘apnea’, in which breathing stops altogether, before breathing (and snoring) recommences with a loud snort or gasp.
This cycle of events can occur as few as five times per hour in mild cases, but exceeding 30 times per hour in patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea. With these constant interruptions, patients are unable to experience deep sleep, leading to long term fatigue and medical consequences.
Common Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
The vast majority of patients who experience obstructive sleep apnea are unaware, sometimes going undiagnosed for decades. Sufferers often have no memory of night time events, so it often falls to family members and partners to instigate investigation. Signs and symptoms that you or your partner may be suffering from sleep apnea include:
- Intermittent snoring
- Waking up gasping or choking
- Fragmented light sleep or insomnia
- Teeth grinding or morning headaches
- Fatigue, and tiredness on waking
- Daytime irritability, clumsiness, and poor memory
- Anxiety or depression
- ADD/ADHD
- High blood pressure
- Reflux
Ongoing bedwetting may also be an indication of obstructive sleep apnea in children.
Who is at Risk?
While men are more frequently affected, sleep apnea is not uncommon in women and children. Age and obesity are significant risk factors, but up to 40% of obstructive sleep apnea sufferers are not obese. Anatomical factors such as neck, airway, palate and jaw shape and size are also associated with sleep apnea, while consumption of alcohol or sedatives before sleep may exacerbate the condition.
Serious Consequences of Sleep Apnea
In the longer term, sleep apnea can have severe consequences on both quality of life and health. In addition to the psychological, social and behavioural strain that affects sufferers, sleep apnea can lead to medical problems such as hypertension (high blood pressure), heart disease, arrhythmia, stroke and diabetes.
Thankfully, patients who receive an accurate diagnosis and treatment usually notice rapid improvements. Remember that most sleep apnea sufferers have no memory of night-time events, so if you suspect that you or your partner are affected by sleep apnea, don’t wait for significant health or relationship problems to occur: call today to book a consultation with Dr Phillip Stein, your leading practitioner for sleep apnea, Australia.
