Are you affected by sleep apnoea?
Colder evenings are drawing in and the thought of curling up on the sofa in front of the TV is certainly more appealing than bracing the chilly wind outdoors. Watch out though for apparently normal habits, such as dozing in front of the TV, disguising more serious health problems says Rebecca Mullins, Clinical Nurse Specialist at the RealSleep Centre for Healthy Sleep.
“Our cosy, warm homes provide us with the perfect environment to relax and sometimes, we all find ourselves dropping off while we enjoy our favourite programme or relaxing with friends and family.
”However, if this occurs frequently, especially when accompanied by loud persistent snoring, it may be a sign of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA), which can be a serious, health problem if left untreated.”
Sleep apnoea affects breathing when you are sleeping, due to a narrowing or total closure of the airway which results in disturbed Sleep. Although you will most likely be unaware of this disturbance, your family may hear the tell-tale signs of sleep apnoea while you sleep – loud snoring followed by a period of silence, and then, perhaps, a snort or a gasp as you resume breathing.
Other symptoms associated with the sleep disorder include:
- excessive daytime sleepiness
- choking during sleep
- morning headaches
- depression
- high blood pressure
Sleep apnoea affects up to 4% of the UK’s adult population but fewer than 10% of those affected are currently receiving treatment and it can also be associated with other conditions such as hypertension, obesity, heart failure, and stroke as well as type 2 diabetes.
Once recognised and diagnosed, sleep apnoea is easily treated and the gold standard treatment and most commonly used, is CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure). This involves wearing a mask at night, connected to a small CPAP device which delivers a stream of air, holding the airway open, allowing the patient to sleep soundly, and wake feeling refreshed.
Rebecca Mullins comments:
“If you are concerned and think you, or someone you know, may have sleep apnoea, it’s important to discuss your symptoms and concerns with your doctor or sleep specialist. Middle aged men or older are more likely to suffer from the condition and awareness of it is still relatively low despite it affecting a significant proportion of the population.
“Fortunately, once treatment starts, the effects can be immediate and some patients who receive CPAP report their lives being transformed after just one good night’s sleep.”