What is Sleep Apnoea
Sleep Apnoea (also known as Obstructive Sleep Apnoea or OSA) occurs when the throat becomes partly or completely blocked when they are asleep due to their throat muscles relaxing too much. During this time, a person with sleep apnoea has either declined or stopped breathing for a short time (this is usually between 10 seconds and one minute). When this happens the person’s brain will partially wake them from sleep for a few seconds (most people are not aware of this), which can happen many times throughout the night, causing a poor night’s sleep.
Some common signs of Sleep Apnoea include:
- Snoring
- Waking up tired
- Having a morning headache
- Waking up with a dry mouth
Effects of a Poor Night’s Sleep
Getting a poor night’s sleep can affect you both physically and mentally. Long term effects of a poor night’s sleep include:
- Weakened immune system*
- Risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and high blood sugar*
- Memory impairment*
- Impaired regulation of emotion and attention*
*Source: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/sleep-deprivation
How can your LiveLife Cannonvale Pharmacist Help
At LiveLife Pharmacy Cannonvale, we provide free sleep consultations. During the consultation we can talk about how sleep apnoea can be diagnosed, and what the options are if you do have it. Our friendly team are here to guide you throughout the process giving you the information you need, when you need it. Click here to book now.