Sleep apnoea is a medical condition when a sleeping person’s airways become blocked, due to deflation, and this causes the person to wake from their sleep, which is a natural reaction to not being able to inhale oxygen into the lungs. A person might be woken like this 5-6 times through the night, and this results in a serious lack of sleep, which brings with it certain issues, such as daytime drowsiness and irritability.
Potential Treatments
In order to be able to treat sleep apnoea, the doctor needs to carry out some tests, and they might recommend changing your lifestyle; quitting smoking and drinking are known to resolve the issue. If you have a nasal allergy, this should be treated, as this might have a positive effect on the sleep apnoea, and in some cases, the doctor will refer you to a local hospital where they have a sleep centre. You would have to spend at least one night at the centre, where your sleeping habits are recorded, and this gives the practitioner the information they need to recommend effective treatment.
CPAP Machine
The majority of sleep apnoea sufferers find that using a CPAP machine while sleeping solves the problem, and with a variety of CPAP masks, some that cover the nose and mouth and others for the nose only, you can find what is most comfortable for you. The machine provides Constant Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), hence the name, and there is a small water tank that blends with the air as a dehumidifier. The CPAP is designed with the user in mind; weighing around 800g, the unit plugs into the mains, and has several USB charging ports for your smartphone and other devices, and with an easy to read digital screen, you can adjust the settings.
Oral Appliances
There are specially shaped plastic appliances that you can put in your mouth that ensure the airways remain open during sleep, and this can be an effective treatment for those who don’t get on with the CPAP machine. Your doctor might refer you to a specialist for further examination, and the expert will be able to recommend the most effective treatment, which might be the use of a CPAP machine.
Associated Medical Issues
In some cases, a medical condition is causing the airways to close during sleep, which could be neuromuscular in nature, and should a specialist feel this might be the case, they would investigate further.
