Sleep apnoea

About sleep apnoea

There are two distinct types of sleep apnoea, Central Sleep Apnoea (CSA) and Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA). The difference between the two, is that CSA is caused by the brain not sending proper signals to the muscles that control your breathing during sleep whereas OSA is caused by the upper airways being obstructed. Obstructive sleep apnea is more common than central sleep apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnoea

OSA is a common sleep disorder in which your breathing temporarily pauses during sleep due to partial or full collapse of the upper airways. These pauses in breathing interrupt your sleep, leading to many awakenings each hour. Some people may be aware of these pauses and may awaken with a feeling of gasping or feeling unable to breathe. However most people with sleep apnoea don’t remember these awakenings, they might feel exhausted during the day, irritable and depressed, or see a decrease in productivity.

Symptoms of sleep apnoea include:

• Loud, chronic snoring
• Frequent pauses in breathing during sleep
• Gasping, snorting, or choking during sleep
• Feeling exhausted after waking and sleepy during the day, no matter how much time you spent in bed
• Waking up with shortness of breath, chest pains, headaches, nasal congestion, or a dry throat