Are you getting a good night’s sleep?

Your body and brain both need a good night’s sleep to repair themselves and recharge for the next day. Getting better sleep can also have long-term benefits for your health.

What happens if you don’t get enough sleep? 

Poor sleep causes a range of problems, but it affects your brain first. You may feel drowsy, experience mood changes, have trouble making decisions, as well as difficulty learning or remembering things.

If you snore and you’re often sleepy in the daytime, you may be suffering from sleep apnea. It’s estimated that as many as 20% of people have sleep apnea¹, but it often goes undiagnosed. It can affect men and women of any age.

What exactly is sleep apnea?

If you’re unfamiliar with this common sleep disorder, you may be wondering “what is sleep apnea?”. When you sleep, the muscles that control your upper airway normally relax. If they relax too much, your upper airway becomes narrow or completely blocked and you may temporarily stop breathing, experiencing an ‘obstructive apnea.’ This can happen frequently throughout the night, lasting for ten seconds or more and placing stress on your brain and heart. It can leave you so tired that it affects the quality of your life, work, and relationships.

Common signs and symptoms of sleep apnea

The first sign is usually observed by a family member: snoring. You may also make gasping or choking sounds while you sleep. Although, some people with sleep apnea don’t snore at all.

Other symptoms of sleep apnea include:

• constant tiredness
• lack of energy
• stopping breathing during sleep
• poor concentration
• forgetfulness
• morning headaches
• depression
• night sweats
• weight gain
• high blood pressure

Sleep apnea may cause serious risks to your health

Untreated sleep apnea can present a serious health risk. Researchers estimate that untreated sleep apnea may raise the risk of dying from heart disease by up to five times.¹  More than 35% of people with sleep apnea also have high blood pressure, increasing the risk of heart disease.¹ (One study found 83% of people who had high blood pressure despite taking three or more drugs also had sleep apnea.²) Almost 70% of people who’ve had a stroke have sleep apnea.³ And people with sleep apnea are 2.5 times more likely to be the driver in a car accident.⁴

What to do if you think you have sleep apnea

If you think you might have sleep apnea, it’s important to get diagnosed. You can do a simple free sleep assessment to see if you’re at risk. To properly diagnose sleep apnea generally a home sleep test is done.

If you are diagnosed with sleep apnea then treating it can help you to wake up feeling refreshed and improve your overall quality of life.

Treatment options

The gold standard treatment for sleep apnea is positive airway pressure therapy (often called CPAP⁵) which is simple and requires no surgery. You wear a small mask while you sleep, which gently delivers a regulated flow of pressurised air to keep your airway open through the night. 

What are the benefits of CPAP therapy?⁶

To begin with, CPAP will help to stop your snoring, making sleep easier for your partner and other family members. You can look forward to more restful, less disturbed sleep and waking up with more energy, alertness and focus to enjoy your day.

Benefits of therapy include better sleep, improved mood, less daytime sleepiness and reduced risk of car accidents.

How effective is CPAP treatment?

CPAP therapy has been used for treating obstructive sleep apnea since 1981. During this period, night time, daytime and long term health benefits have been proven in multiple clinical studies.⁷

Trialling CPAP 

Choosing the right CPAP machine and mask is very important. Your preferences and comfort are vital to the success of therapy. So before buying a CPAP machine or mask, ask to have a trial. View our CPAP trial options here.

Sleep apnea treatment options without CPAP

While CPAP is considered the gold standard treatment for sleep apnea, other treatments are available. Learn more about other sleep apnea treatments.