What Is Sleep Apnoea?

Sleep Apnoea (also known as Obstructive Sleep Apnoea) is a sleep disorder where the air passage in the throat narrows or collapses during sleep causing an interruption to breathing. When breathing is paused while sleeping, the brain automatically springs into action waking you up to a light sleep or complete wakefulness so that you can take in air.

What is Sleep Apnoea?

Are you asking yourself, what is Sleep Apnoea?

Symptoms of Sleep Apnoea include loud snoring, pauses in breathing while asleep, experiencing light sleep and daytime sleepiness. Patients who are diagnosed with Sleep Apnoea can experience episodes of waking during the night and feeling short of breath or gasping for air.

Other symptoms include:

• Severe morning headaches
• Excessive night sweats
• Nocturnal choking
• Negative effects on your emotional well-being
• Waking up to pass urine frequently during the night
• Impotence

In addition to the ill effects on health the loud sounds associated with this sleep disorder often wakes bed partners and can contribute to the disruption of quality sleep for more than just the sufferer! The impact on family life can be far reaching.

The word 'apnoea' means your breathing actually stops for around 10 seconds or more. This can happen to sufferers hundreds of times during sleep.

What Causes Sleep Apnoea?

For those who are diagnosed with this sleep disorder, airways are narrowed for a wide variety of reasons. Some of these factors include:

• Being overweight or obese
• Smoking or drinking, especially before sleeping
• A large neck
• Narrow airways or large tonsils
• Adenoids
• Small jaw
• Taking medications which have sedative side effects

Have You Been Diagnosed with Sleep Apnoea?

If you have been diagnosed with Sleep Apnoea (OSA), you are not alone. Sleep Apnoea is a prevalent sleep disorder affecting up to 10% of the population. It has been found to be as widespread as conditions such as diabetes. It can affect men, women and children at any age, although is most prevalent from middle age onwards.

Normal Sleep versus Sleep Apnoea

It is normal for the muscles and soft tissues at the back of the neck to relax to some degree while sleeping. However, the relaxation associated with normal sleep does not cause issues with breathing or the intake of air into the lungs while asleep.

In comparison, Sleep Apnoea causes the narrowing or collapse of the air passage during sleep to the point which interrupts breathing. When breathing is paused, carbon dioxide builds up in the bloodstream. When this happens the brain sends a message triggering you to wake up, bringing you out of a deep sleep into a lighter sleep or to complete wakefulness. This process triggered by the brain allows for the muscles at the back of the throat to open and air to be inhaled.

Sleep Apnoea can cause loud snoring sounds, snorts or choking noises, often an incredibly distressing sound to those who sleep beside someone suffering with undiagnosed Sleep Apnoea. These sounds are caused by the soft palette at the back of the throat opening when aroused from sleep in order to allow the intake of air. A few breaths are taken and you quickly fall back to sleep. As this process occurs quite quickly, it won’t usually be remembered in the morning. The apnoea cycle can occur several hundred times during the night, severely disrupting your sleep.

Are There Consequences of Untreated Sleep Apnoea?

You may be considering what is Sleep Apnoea and why does it matter if I have it? Sleep Apnoea disrupts normal sleep patterns and contributes to a lack of quality sleep and additional health concerns. If left untreated, you are likely to experience severe tiredness lending to a significantly increased risk of motor vehicle and work-related accidents.

The impact of untreated Sleep Apnoea on your health can be serious, leading to increased risks of:

• High blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Type II diabetes

While there is no cure for Sleep Apnoea, the good news is that with the right treatment plan and support you can start to enjoy the restful and healthy sleep you deserve.

Sleep Apnoea Services

Sleep Apnoea Services is your online resource for sleep apnoea information. We work with you to help diagnose sleep apnoea and provide access to the best products, help and information.

I Want to Feel Well Rested

Wellness is inextricably linked to being well rested. Sleep disorders such as Sleep Apnoea firmly stand in the way of quality sleep and the health benefits it provides. Diagnosis, education and tailored treatments are so important to improve overall health and quality of life.

Here at Sleep Apnoea Services we understand quality sleep is incredibly important for a healthy life. Sleep affects both our physical and emotional well-being.

There are countless benefits of a healthy night’s sleep on nearly every function in the human body. Regular, restful and healthy sleep can:

• Improve immune function
• Positively affect heart health
• Reduce inflammation
• Regulate blood pressure and cholesterol levels
• Lower stress hormone levels
• Improve memory
• Help to control weight
• Promote the optimum functioning of the parasympathetic nervous system

Contact Sleep Apnoea Services

Enjoy healthy and restful sleep to wake energised and ready for the day ahead with Sleep Apnoea Services. Sleep Apnoea Services are your number one resource for information about this debilitating sleep disorder. At Sleep Apnoea Services we have a wide range of Sleep Apnoea management devices such as CPAP machines, pillows, masks, sleeping aids, data transfers and power supplies.

Sleep Apnoea Services is your number one resource for information about this sleep disorder. For further information about what Sleep Apnoea is, please explore our site for great resources on this disorder and the help we can provide. If you require any assistance, please contact Sleep Apnoea Services for more information on 020 7501 0595.