Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) is one of the most common sleep-related breathing conditions. 22.8% of adults in South Africa have sleep apnoea. It occurs when your throat muscles intermittently block and relax your airways while you are in a deep sleep. The most common symptom is snoring.
However, sleep apnoea treatment is available; some devices even create pressure to keep your airways open when you sleep. In severe scenarios, your health expert may advise surgery.
Patients with OSA experience daytime sleepiness because of decreased oxygen supply to different body parts, especially the brain, impacting sleep quality. As a result, it causes a lack of clarity in the morning and daytime drowsiness.
People who share beds with OSA patients also report the following symptoms:
Health experts have also observed during sleep studies, health maintenance screenings and patient interaction signs of additional symptoms related to OSA.
Daytime drowsiness due to sleep apnoea can cause a risk of industrial accidents and vehicle crashes. Different treatments can help to eliminate daytime drowsiness and other symptoms.
Obstructive sleep apnoea develops when the muscles that regulate the airway relax too much, narrowing the throat. Typically, patients wake up for a moment to open their airways but probably do not remember waking up. This can happen several times every hour and significantly impact your sleep.
In addition to OSA, there are other conditions that can cause sleep disturbances caused by blockages to the throat leading to obstructive sleep apnoea, such as swollen tonsils, obesity, and health issues like heart failure or endocrine disorders.
Your health expert will ask about your sleep schedule during a physical exam. They may also ask your family or partner about your sleeping habits to learn more about you. Some health experts also suggest you spend a night in their sleep lab to measure things like:
If not treated, sleep apnoea can lead to several complications:
Your health expert will suggest medications, surgery, therapies, or oral appliances based on your condition. The oral appliances are removable devices that you need to wear during sleep. Surgery is advised to remove tissue that worsens the airway, allowing you to breathe easily. Some patients also need to take medications that stimulate breathing, reduce daytime sleepiness, or completely treat the OSA.
To prevent developing this health condition, try to maintain a healthy weight. Exercise regularly, avoid alcohol, avoid sleeping on your back, quit smoking, take allergy medications or nasal decongestants, and avoid sedatives.