Understanding Sleep Apnoea
What is Sleep Apnoea?
Sleep apnoea is a common yet serious sleep disorder where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. This interruption in breathing can lead to fragmented and poor-quality sleep, affecting overall health and well-being. The two primary types of sleep apnoea are:
- Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA): The more common form, occurring when throat muscles relax excessively during sleep, blocking the airway.
- Central Sleep Apnoea (CSA): Less common, involving the brain’s failure to send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing.
How Sleep Apnoea Affects You
Sleep apnoea can have significant impacts on both your daily life and long-term health. Common symptoms and effects include:
- Excessive Daytime Sleepiness: Frequent interruptions in sleep can lead to chronic fatigue, making it difficult to stay awake and alert during the day.
- Loud Snoring: Particularly in OSA, snoring is a common symptom due to the obstructed airway.
- Gasping or Choking During Sleep: Sudden awakenings with a sensation of choking or gasping can occur.
- Morning Headaches: Frequent oxygen deprivation can lead to headaches upon waking.
- Difficulty Concentrating: Poor sleep quality can impair cognitive functions, affecting memory, decision-making, and concentration.
- Mood Changes: Sleep apnoea can contribute to irritability, depression, and anxiety.
- High Blood Pressure: Repeated drops in blood oxygen levels can lead to hypertension.
- Heart Problems: Sleep apnoea increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, and irregular heartbeats.
- Diabetes: There is a strong association between sleep apnoea and type 2 diabetes due to the stress and insulin resistance caused by disrupted sleep.
How Sleep Apnoea Affects You
Sleep apnoea can have significant impacts on both your daily life and long-term health. Common symptoms and effects include:
- Excessive Daytime Sleepiness: Frequent interruptions in sleep can lead to chronic fatigue, making it difficult to stay awake and alert during the day.
- Loud Snoring: Particularly in OSA, snoring is a common symptom due to the obstructed airway.
- Gasping or Choking During Sleep: Sudden awakenings with a sensation of choking or gasping can occur.
- Morning Headaches: Frequent oxygen deprivation can lead to headaches upon waking.
- Difficulty Concentrating: Poor sleep quality can impair cognitive functions, affecting memory, decision-making, and concentration.
- Mood Changes: Sleep apnoea can contribute to irritability, depression, and anxiety.
- High Blood Pressure: Repeated drops in blood oxygen levels can lead to hypertension.
- Heart Problems: Sleep apnoea increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, and irregular heartbeats.
- Diabetes: There is a strong association between sleep apnoea and type 2 diabetes due to the stress and insulin resistance caused by disrupted sleep.
Take the First Step Toward Better Sleep
If you or a loved one is experiencing symptoms of sleep apnoea, don’t hesitate to seek help. At Payneham Road Dental & Specialist Centre, we are dedicated to improving your sleep quality and overall health through effective and compassionate care.
Contact us today to schedule a consultation and take the first step toward a restful night’s sleep.
Sleep like a baby again!
frequently asked sleep apnoea questions
Below our the questions and answers we get asked the most about sleep apnoea in our two Adelaide dental clinics.
Two clinics across Adelaide
PAYNEHAM ROAD
(08) 8363 2025
NORTH TERRACE
(08) 8223 5862
Two clinics across Adelaide
PAYNEHAM ROAD
(08) 8363 2025
NORTH TERRACE
(08) 8223 5862