With each passing year there is new research showing the sleep disorders are more prevalent and harmful than previously thought. However, we as individuals often overlook the signs and symptoms of an underlying condition that is both serious and treatable. Being aware of the common sleep conditions can help you know when to seek out medical advice and treatment to improve your sleep health.
Sufferers of obstructive sleep apnea experience a partial or complete interruption of breathing during sleep. This is caused by repeated collapse of the upper airway while sleeping. People with this condition are often tired during the day. They may also snore, wake up gasping or choking, or awake with a headache. 17% of the general population is thought to have OSA, but the prevalence is higher in men, in older people, and in those who are overweight or obese. A combination of these factors could see your chance of developing OSA reach as high as 49%.
Those with untreated OSA risk developing cardiovascular disease like heart attack, metabolic disease like diabetes, stroke, and depression. There are also the complications of being overly tired, such as decreased ability to learn and concentrate, poor performance at work, and increased chance of a motor vehicle accident.
OSA is typically diagnosed with a sleep study, which you can do at home or in a sleep lab. The best first step is to speak to your GP who can help organize the sleep study or send you to a specialist sleep physician.
If your study shows that you do have OSA, there are a number of treatment options. More mild forms of the condition can be managed by lifestyle modifications like weight loss and smoking cessation, or by a dental device called a Mandibular Advancement Splint, which pushes the jaw forward to help open the airway at night. The most effective treatment is a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, or CPAP machine. This works by gently blowing pressurized air into your upper airway to prevent collapse. To learn more about CPAP, click here.
Like obstructive sleep apnea, CSA causes a disruption of breathing during sleep. However, in this condition the route cause is the interruption of the brain signals that control the muscles of breathing. In additional to the fatigue that can accompany any form of sleep apnea, CSA sufferers can also wake up feeling breathless, feel short of breath while lying down (orthopnea), or have chest pain. Other medical conditions like heart failure, cardiac arrhythmia and stroke can all contribute to the development of CSA. Central sleep apnea can then cause further cardiovascular problems.
Central sleep apnea can be diagnosed with an in lab sleep study. Specialist physician involvement is important, and CSA patients should see both a cardiologist and a sleep physician to make sure their heart and sleep problems are well managed. Treatment often involves the use of a positive pressure machine like CPAP, a ventilator like bi-level positive airway pressure (BPAP), or a more complex device like Adaptive Seroventilation (ASV).
Narcolepsy is a condition characterized by the uncontrollable urge to sleep during the day. While the exact cause is unknown, it is thought that the underproduction of certain brain chemicals (like hypocretin) are responsible for the disorder. Apart from attacks of sleepiness, sufferers can also experience a loss of voluntary muscle tone (cataplexy) and hallucinations that would only occur in health people as they were transitioning from wakefulness to sleep (hypnagogic hallucinations).
You are at higher risk of developing narcolepsy if you have a family history of the condition of if you have had brain injuries in the past. The chances of developing the disorder also increase with age. Sufferers often deal with personal and professional issues, including poor work performance, relationship problems, or stigma due to poor understanding of the disease. You are also at higher risk of injury when you have an episode.
Narcolepsy is diagnosed by a special type of sleep study called a Multiple Sleep Latency Test, or MSLT. This is carried out during the day and looks at how quickly you fall asleep. All patients with narcolepsy should be managed by a specialist sleep physician.
People with restless leg syndrome feel a discomfort in their lower limbs that is only relieved by moving their legs. They will move their legs around more during the transition from wakefulness to sleep and throughout the night. This causes a disruption of sleep, which leads to excessive daytime fatigue.
You are more likely to develop restless leg syndrome if you have a family history of the condition, or if you have another medical problem that effects the nervous system (e.g. peripheral neuropathy that can accompany diabetes).
You will most likely receive your diagnoses based on your description of your symptoms and a physical examination, although you may be asked to do an in-lab sleep study.
There are some medications that can be used to alleviate the symptoms. This condition is best managed by a specialist sleep physician.
When summer nights turn sticky and restless, it’s not just the temperature outside that keeps you awake — it’s how your body, bedding, and environment respond to the heat. The truth is, temperature plays a major role in how well we sleep, and when things get too warm, your body struggles to drift into the deep, restorative rest it needs.
Have you ever wondered why those late-night snacks seem so tempting after a rough night’s sleep? It turns out that getting a good night’s sleep isn’t just about rest and recovery; it can also be a powerful tool for supporting healthier eating habits. By unpacking the science, we can see how getting a good night’s sleep might help you make healthier food choices.
Spring has arrived — and with it, the scent of blooming flowers, longer days, and unfortunately for many Australians, the return of hay fever. Hay fever (or seasonal allergic rhinitis) is an allergic reaction to airborne particles like pollen, mould spores, and dust. It causes classic symptoms such as itchy eyes, sneezing, congestion, and runny noses. For those managing sleep apnea with CPAP therapy, these springtime sniffles can make a good night’s rest more of a challenge.
As Halloween rolls around, it’s easy to indulge in extra sweets — after all, who can resist a few chocolate bars or gummy lollies? But while a sugar rush might seem harmless, the effects of added sugar extend well beyond your waistline. Research suggests that too much sugar can disturb your sleep and increase your risk of heart disease — a truly spooky combination for your health.
Around one in five Australians work shifts outside the standard nine-to-five. From hospital wards to warehouses, shift work keeps our world running — but it can take a serious toll on the body, especially the heart
We often think of sleep as a time to rest, but it’s also one of the most powerful tools for protecting your heart. Consistent, good-quality sleep helps your body recover, regulate hormones, and keep your blood pressure in check. When your sleep is cut short or irregular, those systems go off balance — and over time, that can raise your risk of developing high blood pressure, also known as hypertension.
Sleep is meant to be the body’s time to rest and repair — but for people with sleep apnea, it can become a nightly struggle that puts more than just rest at risk. Sleep apnea is a common sleep-related breathing disorder where a person’s breathing repeatedly slows or stops throughout the night. Over time, these interruptions can take a serious toll on the body, including raising the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes — and even stroke.
It’s a common belief that the older you get, the less sleep you need. But that’s simply not true. Older adults actually need about the same amount of sleep as everyone else — around seven to nine hours a night.1 What often changes with age isn’t the need for sleep, but the pattern of sleep. Many older people tend to go to bed earlier and wake up earlier than they did in their younger years.
If you’ve ever felt guilty for taking an afternoon nap, thinking it might throw your sleep schedule out of balance, here’s some good news — napping doesn’t automatically ruin your night’s rest. In fact, when timed and managed well, a short daytime snooze can be one of the best ways to recharge your body and mind.
