Everything you need to know about SLEEP APNOEA
It’s not just about snoring. Amcal pharmacist BRINLEY HOSKING shares the signs to watch out for
There’s no doubt you’ve struggled with restless nights and a lack of sleep, regularly or occasionally, at some point in your life. You know that missing out on a good amount of shut-eye can have a negative impact on you, mentally, physically and emotionally.
And while any kind of sleep deprivation isn’t good for our mind and body, there are some forms that are more concerning than others, such as sleep apnoea – a common condition most of us have heard of.
So what exactly is sleep apnoea? Is it just a bad case of loud snoring? And how are we supposed to avoid or treat it?
Well, 61 per cent of the population are unaware of how to properly define the condition, so we asked Amcal professional services manager Brinley Hosking to explain…
WHAT IS SLEEP APNOEA?
To put it simply, sleep apnoea is a health condition whereby breathing stops and starts again due to the throat partially or completely blocking while a person sleeps.
“The Australian Pharmacy Sleep Services defines sleep apnoea as a largely undiagnosed sleep disorder where a person’s upper airway repeatedly collapses during sleep, causing them to stop breathing for a period of 10 seconds or longer,” Brinley explains, adding there are varied severities of the condition.
If a person has between five and 15 interruptions in an hour’s sleep they have mild sleep apnoea, moderate if they have between 15 and 30 interruptions per hour, and severe sleep apnoea if they experience 30 or more interruptions.
For comparison, a normal sleeper experiences fewer than five interruptions per hour.
DON’T IGNORE BAD SLEEP
Brinley says it’s important not to put up with consistent bad sleep – you may be missing telltale signs of something more serious. “Many of us can relate to not getting enough sleep. Whether you’re staying up too late, tossing and turning in bed or waking up throughout the early morning,” she says.
“On the surface, the constant moving and discomfort may seem to be merely a bad night’s sleep, however if it continues it may be a wider symptom of a chronic sleeping disorder, such as sleep apnoea.”
WHAT ARE THE WARNING SIGNS?
What’s the difference between an occasional bad night’s sleep and a health condition?
“It’s important to look for some of the signs that can indicate something more serious may be at play,” adds Brinley. “These can include frequent periods of breathing loss, excessive daytime sleepiness, sleep deprivation, snoring, dry body parts, such as the mouth and throat, or several toilet visits through the night.
“The most alarming thing about sleep apnoea is it can sometimes sound just like snoring, so it’s important to recognise the difference by also keeping these warning signs in mind.”
If you’re worried you may have sleep apnoea, visit your GP to explore your options.
HOW TO REDUCE THE SYMPTOMS
While there isn’t a direct or proven method to proactively prevent sleep apnoea, there are some simple lifestyle changes you can make to help reduce the toll of the condition.
“A good first step is to undertake a sleep-health screening by a registered health professional,” says Brinley.
“For example, Amcal pharmacies offer a personalised Sleep Health Check to discover your personalised sleep score, which will help to measure and assess your risk of developing or having a chronic sleep disorder.
“[They can also use] this to assess what method of treatment may be most effective.”
HOW TO TREAT IT
If you are diagnosed with sleep apnoea, there are options available to help improve your quality of sleep. “While broken sleep can be frustrating, don’t give up,” says Brinley. “There are a wide combination of lifestyle choices you can make to help effectively treat sleep apnoea. “These include specially designed products, such as CPAP machines (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure). A mask inc increases air pressure and sta stabilises your throat so it doesn’t collapse when wh breathing in.” You Y can also make changes ch to your daily ha habits to increase the qu quality of your sleep, such su as getting into a re regular sleep routine, not n drinking or eating t too close to bedtime a and skipping caffeine in i the afternoon. “These are simple ways w to help achieve a better night’s sleep,” says Brinley.