Sleep Apnea Specialist

What is sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea is a disorder in which you wake up repeatedly through the night for brief periods. It stops you from getting a restful night's sleep, so you wake up still feeling tired. There are several types of sleep apnea:

Central sleep apnea

Central sleep apnea is a neurological disorder. With this condition, your brain doesn't send the correct messages to the muscles that control your breathing.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)

OSA is due to the muscles in your throat relaxing too much when you're asleep. Without any support, your soft palate at the back of the roof of your mouth drops down and blocks your windpipe, preventing air from entering your lungs. 

Some people have combined sleep apnea, which has elements of both types.

What happens at night if I have sleep apnea?

When sleep apnea causes your breathing to stop, your brain identifies the problem and wakes you up for a moment so you start breathing again.

In most cases, you won't remember these waking moments as they're so short. However, because they occur multiple times every night, your health can start to suffer from the lack of good quality sleep.

What problems does sleep apnea cause?

Untreated sleep apnea raises your risk of serious health problems like:

• High blood pressure
• Stroke
• Diabetes
• Heart disease

Unfortunately, many people live with sleep apnea for a long time without realizing they have it because they don't remember all the times they wake in the night.

If you snore heavily and wake with a snort or feel like you're choking, it's worth finding out if you have sleep apnea. Feeling sleepy during the day could also be a sign of sleep apnea.

How is sleep apnea diagnosed?

You can use an in-home testing device to assess whether you have sleep apnea. You wear the device while you sleep, and it records the oxygen levels in your blood. A low reading could mean your body isn't getting the oxygen it needs because of your sleep apnea.

An alternative is to attend a sleep clinic, where you're under observation all night. This type of sleep apnea testing provides more information about your condition and is essential for diagnosing central sleep apnea.

What treatments are available for sleep apnea?

An effective method of treating sleep apnea is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). This is a device you wear when you're asleep that delivers air into your throat under pressure, to keep your airway open.

Bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP) works in a similar way but uses two levels of air pressure through the night. Another option is an oral appliance that helps hold your soft palate open.

To find out whether sleep apnea is affecting your health, call Pulmonary Care Clinics today or book an appointment online.