Sleep Apnoea

Sleep apnoea isn’t just about snoring—it’s a serious condition where your airway gets blocked, making it harder (or sometimes impossible) to breathe properly while you sleep. This can cause you to stop and start breathing repeatedly throughout the night. You might not even notice it, but your sleep is interrupted, leaving you feeling anything but rested.

You’ve probably heard about the loud snoring, snorting, or even gasping for air—that’s a big red flag that something’s off. The problem is, without quality sleep, your body and mind just can’t recharge properly.

There are two main types of sleep apnoea:

• Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA): This is the more common one. It happens when the muscles in the back of your throat relax and block your airway. In New Zealand, at least 4% of men and 2% of women are affected by OSA.
• Central Sleep Apnoea (CSA): This is a rarer one and happens when your brain fails to send the right signals to the muscles that control your breathing.

Sleep apnoea isn’t something to ignore. If you’re experiencing symptoms like constant tiredness, loud snoring, or gasping for air while sleeping, it could mean your oxygen levels are dropping—this is when things can get serious.

If any of this sounds familiar, don’t wait around. Book an appointment with a physician and start the journey to better, more restful sleep. Your health—and your quality of life—will thank you for it.

Sleep apnoea can be tricky to spot, especially since many people don’t realise they have it. In fact, it’s often noticed first by a bed partner who hears the loud snoring or witnesses the gasping and pauses in breathing.

If you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms, it might be time to consider sleep apnoea as a possibility:

• Loud, persistent snoring
• Waking up feeling tired, even after a full night’s sleep
• Gasping or choking for air during sleep
• Stopping breathing while sleeping (often noticed by a bed partner)
• Feeling unusually sleepy during the day
• Struggling with concentration and memory
• Waking up frequently throughout the night
• Loss of interest in sex
• Irritability and a short temper
• Morning headaches
• Facial congestion or blocked ears (this can sometimes be from muscle tightness or grinding your teeth)

If you recognise any of these signs, it’s important to talk to a doctor. Sleep apnoea can affect your overall health, so catching it early is key to improving your sleep and well-being.

While sleep apnoea can affect anyone, certain factors make some people more at risk. Understanding these can help you take steps to reduce your chances of developing the condition. Risk factors for sleep apnoea include:

• Being overweight: Extra weight around the neck can put pressure on your throat, narrowing your airway.
• Using sleeping pills, alcohol, or sedatives: These can cause your throat muscles to relax too much, increasing the likelihood of airway obstruction.
• Having a narrow airway: Some people are naturally born with a narrower throat, or it can result from enlarged tonsils or adenoids.
• Nasal blockage or congestion: Blocked nasal passages, whether due to structural issues or seasonal allergies, can make it harder to breathe while sleeping.
• Smoking: Smokers are three times more likely to experience sleep apnoea compared to non-smokers.

Being aware of these factors can help you better understand your own risk. If any of these sound familiar, it might be worth talking to a healthcare professional.

For moderate to severe cases of obstructive sleep apnoea, clinical therapies can help manage and relieve symptoms. The treatment that’s right for you will depend on your specific condition and needs. Here are some common treatments:

• Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP): A CPAP machine uses a pump to deliver air pressure through a mask to keep your airway open while you sleep. The amount of pressure used is customised to you, and many people find they experience restful, restorative sleep after starting CPAP therapy.
• Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP): This is a variation of CPAP that provides more pressure when you inhale and less pressure when you exhale, making it more comfortable for some people.
• Dental Appliances: Custom-made mandibular advancement devices (MADs) gently move your jaw forward and hold your tongue in a position that helps keep your airway open. These devices are fitted by a dentist or orthodontist.
• Positional Therapy: For some people, sleeping on their side helps prevent airway obstruction. Positional therapy involves wearing a device on your back or waist to stop you from rolling onto your back while you sleep.
• Surgery: If your sleep apnoea is caused by blocked nasal passages, enlarged tonsils or adenoids, or jaw abnormalities, surgery may be an option. Surgical procedures can help correct nasal blockages or remove excess tissue in the throat.
• Selective Upper Airway Stimulation (UAS): This procedure involves implanting a device that stimulates the hypoglossal nerve, which controls the muscles in your tongue. This keeps your tongue positioned forward while you sleep, preventing it from collapsing into your airway.

Each treatment option comes with its own benefits, and your healthcare provider will work with you to determine the best approach based on your needs. If you’re dealing with moderate to severe sleep apnoea, finding the right treatment can help you get back to a good night’s sleep.

Research shows that lifestyle changes can have a significant impact on managing and even alleviating sleep apnoea. In fact, adopting healthier habits not only helps treat the condition but can also prevent it from worsening, especially if you’ve already started clinical treatments. Returning to unhealthy routines can often reverse the benefits of therapy.

In many cases, making lifestyle adjustments addresses the underlying causes of sleep apnoea, not just the symptoms. Over time, you’ll notice improvements in your sleep quality when you:

• Lose weight: A balanced diet and regular exercise can make a big difference. Even a modest 10% weight loss can reduce the number of sleep apnoea episodes you experience each night.
• Quit smoking: Smoking irritates the upper airway and can lead to swelling in the throat and airways over time, making it harder to breathe while sleeping.
• Cut back on alcohol and sedatives: While alcohol or sleep aids might seem like an easy way to relax, they can actually make things worse by increasing the frequency of apnoea episodes. Reducing your use of these can help you sleep more soundly.

By making these adjustments, you’re not only treating sleep apnoea, but also improving your overall health and quality of life. Small changes can have a big impact!