sleep apnoea

It’s no surprise that men and women are different. But what you might not know is that women are affected by sleep disorders differently than men. And because of that, sleep disorders like snoring and sleep apnoea are often misdiagnosed in women.

Sleep apnoea is a common sleep disorder where your breathing stops while you are asleep.

Can sleep apnoea be prevented? 

In this article, we look at the main causes of sleep apnoea, what you can do to minimise your risk of developing it and strategies to reduce the effect of sleep apnea on your life.

Snoring keeping you awake?

Do you suffer from...

daytime sleepiness,
hypertension,
low mood,
tiredness,
lethargy,
snoring,
irritability,
sugar cravings,
slow metabolism,
poor attention span?

If the answer to two or more of these symptoms is "yes" then you could be suffering from a Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB) condition, which have been linked to other serious ill-health consequences such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and even stroke!

Sleep fragmentation or broken and disrupted sleep, as occurs in people suffering from sleep disordered breathing conditions (such as sleep apnoea,) has been clearly linked to an increased likelihood of Alzheimer's disease. video source: Channel 7 News

Senior Sleep Therapist, Robyn Fowler, was invited to appear on 4BC Radio Brisbane recently. The topic was 9 ways sharing a bed can ruin your sleep. However, the discussion quickly turned to snoring (being one of the top complaints and an area Robyn is an expert in).

As Robyn points out "snoring is more than just an annoying and embarrassing problem. Snoring is a clear indication of an impaired airway."

Continuous Positive Airway Pressurisation (CPAP) has long been recognised as the 'gold standard' for the treatment of moderate to severe sleep apnoea. Despite this, around 55% of people prescribed with CPAP treatment discontinued their therapy after just a few weeks. Studies show the main reasons for CPAP discontinuation among new users is their lack of technical knowledge and poor understanding of CPAP therapy.

You may have a sleep disorder that makes you unfit to drive. And not even know about it! Sleep apnea and driving can lead to hefty fines and loss of licence. And that’s not even considering the danger to yourself and others.

According to scientific tests, sufferers of Sleep-Disordered Breathing (SDB) experience an impairment in performance. Sleep apnea and driving is a bad combination. As a matter of fact, having sleep apnea and driving is similar to having an illegal blood alcohol level.