Sleep Apnoea. The Silent Killer.

                       Do you have sleep apnoea? Sleep apnoea can kill you.

                       Sleep apnoea occurs when the walls of the throat come together during sleep, blocking off the upper airway at the level of the tongue. Breathing stops for a period of time (generally between a few seconds and up to one minute) until the brain registers the lack of breathing or a drop in oxygen levels and sends a small wake-up call. The sleeper rouses slightly, opens the upper airway, typically snorts and gasps, then drifts back to sleep almost immediately.

                       In most cases, the person suffering from sleep apnoea doesn’t even realise they are waking up. This pattern can repeat itself hundreds of times over every night, causing fragmented sleep. This leaves the person with unrefreshed sleep, excessive daytime sleepiness and fatigue caused by low oxygen levels in the blood. It’s estimated that about five per cent of Australians suffer from this sleep disorder, with around one in four men over the age of 30 years affected.

         Untreated sleep apnoea can:

               Increase the risk for high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, obesity, and diabetes.

               Increase the risk for or worsen heart failure

               Make irregular heartbeats more likely

               Increase the chance of having work-related or driving accidents

  Symptoms of sleep apnoea include:

         Frequent gaps in breathing during sleep (apnoea).

         Gasping or choking for air to restart breathing, often causing sleeper or partner to wake

    Loud snoring.

    Feeling unrefreshed after a night’s sleep and excessive daytime tiredness.

    Poor concentration.

    Irritability and mood changes.

  There are three kinds of sleep apnoea.

    1.Obstructive sleep apnoea. The throat is composed of collapsible walls of soft tissue which can obstruct breathing during sleep. When breathing stops it is jump started by signals from the brain.

    2. Central sleep apnoea. This is where the brain ceases to send signals to the throat for a varying length of time.

    3. Mixed apnoea and complex sleep apnoea. In both cases the signals from the brain can cease permanently, resulting in death.

  Diagnosis can only be carried out by a sleep test which can be done at the Murray Valley Private Hospital or it can be done at home. It involves you being wired up and the information is recorded and sent away for diagnosis to a sleep specialist in  Melbourne.

  Treatment involves using a CPAP machine to pump air into your lungs, increasing the air pressure thus pushing back into place the tongue and linings of the throat.

  If in doubt, ask your GP. He could then refer you to treatment.

  I have written this for my retirement village newsletter. Do you have any comments and suggestions?