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What are the signs of sleep apnea?

There are many potential causes of disturbed sleep, and not all of them are signs of sleep apnea. You may be waking up during the night because you are stressed, because you have consumed too much caffeine, you are not exercising enough or any other number of lifestyle issues.

Symptoms that you may notice during the day, that may suggest sleep apnea include; drowsiness, moodiness (irritability or emotional mood swings) headaches, sore muscles, a sore throat and neck and shoulder stiffness. During the night you (and/ or your partner or family) may notice loud snoring and other signs of breathing difficulty such as wheezing, gasping and coughing of choking. These last symptoms are very often a sign of sleep apnea and, when combined with the above daytime symptoms, represent a serious problem to your health and well being; and should definitely be checked out. It is always best to err on the side of caution with this dangerous condition and if you even suspect you may be experiencing sleep apnea, you should see your doctor.

In the event that you do receive a recommendation for CPAP treatment, your CPAP stockist will be able to assist you in interpreting your prescription and helping you understand your options.

What are the risks associated with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea?

Damage to the brain and other vital organs begins to occur after only minutes of oxygen deprivation. When apnea occurs and carbon dioxide begins to build-up, the brain triggers the body to rouse from sleep within seconds. This ensures an increase in muscle activity and tension throughout the body, including around the throat. When these muscles are “awake” air flow is possible. It is not hard to see that when this pattern occurs hundreds of times during a night, the body simply does not have the chance to rest properly, which can have serious implications.

Lack of sleep can be compared to alcohol consumption in terms of its dangerous effects on our ability to function. After just 24 hours of sleep deprivation the effect on functioning can be similar to intoxication. This has real implications for those of us who need to drive, be responsible for others, operate machinery or perform any number of everyday tasks.

Apart from the risk to safety, deterioration in memory and intellectual capacity, changes in personality and/ or behaviour and reduced libido and sexual performance are just some of the distressing results of chronic lack of sleep.

Fortunately of course, sleep apnea is treatable and with the right equipment and support there is no reason why sufferers of obstructive sleep apnea should not be able to remove these symptoms and get on with their lives. It is for this reason that you should choose a CPAP stockist with experience in fitting of equipment, ideally who can come to you.

Sleep Apnea Testing

You need to get in touch with your CPAP stockist after you have completed a visit to your GP and completed any sleep testing that he or she prescribes. The testing will usually be performed in a laboratory where your brain, heart, lung and other organ activity will be monitored while you sleep. When a full picture of your situation is clear, you will be given advice about what to do next and what kind of treatment is recommended. This will usually include the level of air pressure required to keep your airways open. This information will assist your CPAP stockist in determining which kind of mask and equipment might be best for you.

What else can I do about sleep apnea?

The sleep study will reveal the severity of your sleep apnoea, and your doctor will discuss with you what your options are.

There are things you can do to reduce the severity of mild sleep apnea. Being overweight can be a factor, and weight reduction may decrease the amount of pressure in the neck and throat area, thus allowing air to flow more freely. Certainly a reduction in any chemicals that increase muscle relaxation may help, this would include alcohol and some other drugs, including sleeping medications; although of course in the case of any medication, medial advice must be sought before any adjustments are made. Improvements in lung function may also have an impact. Obviously smoking can compromise the lungs’ ability to absorb oxygen; hay fever and asthma may also be implicated in breathing problems.

In the case where some form of CPAP treatment is indicated your CPAP stockist will be able to show you a wide range of options to suit your particular situation. CPAP masks, for instance, come in a wide range of styles which accommodate face shape, offer different delivery methods (through the nose or mouth, or both; very lightweight or full face coverage) and support different sleeping positions.

As a CPAP stockist with over 20 years in the health industry, CPAP2U can give you advice, support and access to a wide range of the best equipment on the market. We pride ourselves on having the best trained technicians and a uniquely accessible sales, hire and equipment trial service that is available right across the country. CPAP2U wishes you good health and sound sleep.

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