Health and Fitness: What is Sleep Apnoea?

  • Posted in Sleep Apnoea
  •  By Loran Simon

awake at nightWhat Is Sleep Apnoea?

Sleep apnoea (AP-ne-ah) is a common disorder in which you have one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while you sleep.

Breathing pauses can last from a few seconds to minutes. They may occur 30 times or more an hour. Typically, normal breathing then starts again, sometimes with a loud snort or choking sound.

Sleep apnoea usually is a chronic (ongoing) condition that disrupts your sleep. When your breathing pauses or becomes shallow, you’ll often move out of deep sleep and into light sleep.

As a result, the quality of your sleep is poor, which makes you tired during the day. Sleep apnoea is a leading cause of excessive daytime sleepiness.

Overview

Sleep apnoea often goes undiagnosed. Doctors usually can't detect the condition during routine office visits. Also, no blood test can help diagnose the condition.

Most people who have sleep apnoea don't know they have it because it only occurs during sleep. A family member or bed partner might be the first to notice signs of sleep apnoea.

The most common type of sleep apnoea is obstructive sleep apnoea. In this condition, the airway collapses or becomes blocked during sleep. This causes shallow breathing or breathing pauses.

When you try to breathe, any air that squeezes past the blockage can cause loud snoring. Obstructive sleep apnoea is more common in people who are overweight, but it can affect anyone. For example, small children who have enlarged tonsil tissues in their throats may have obstructive sleep apnoea.

Central sleep apnoea is a less common type of sleep apnoea. This disorder occurs if the area of your brain that controls your breathing doesn't send the correct signals to your breathing muscles. As a result, you'll make no effort to breathe for brief periods.

Central sleep apnoea can affect anyone. However, it's more common in people who have certain medical conditions or use certain medicines.

Central sleep apnoea can occur with obstructive sleep apnoea or alone. Snoring typically doesn't happen with central sleep apnoea.

Outlook

Untreated sleep apnoea can:

-Increase the risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, obesity, and diabetesexternal link icon

-Increase the risk of, or worsen, heart failure

-Make arrhythmias (ah-RITH-me-ahs), or irregular heartbeats, more likely

-Increase the chance of having work-related or driving accidents

Sleep apnoea is a chronic condition that requires long-term management. Lifestyle changes, mouthpieces, surgery, and breathing devices can successfully treat sleep apnoea in many people.

http://www.vintoniowa.org/articles/Health+and+Fitness/article1011438.html

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Somnowell Inventor - Visiting Professor Simon Ash FDS MSc MOrth BDS

Prof. Ash is the inventor of the highly successful SOMNOWELL Chrome device for snoring and sleep apnoea.

The Somnowell Chrome is made to exacting standards in the Somnowell laboratory under the supervision of Visiting Professor Simon Ash. Prof. Ash and his master technicians create each Somnowell Chrome device using their wealth of experience and expertise.

Prof. Ash works at the forefront of his profession. He is a Consultant and Specialist Orthodontist with over 30 years clinical experience, with a special interest in sleep related breathing disorders, TMJD, and bruxism. He currently works in Harley Street London and two private hospitals in London as part of a multi-disciplinary team managing snoring and sleep apnoea, and is Visiting Professor of Orthodontics at the BPP University.

The Somnowell mandibular advancement appliance is also recommended by:

  • Sleep Centres
  • ENT Surgeons, Sleep Physicians, Respiratory, Physicians
  • Orthodontists, Dentists
  • General Medical Practitioners
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