Information on OSA

I Need My Sleep - Information for Sleep Apnoea Patients

» Respiratory arrest known as sleep apnoea
   » How do I know if it’s sleep apnoea?
   » In their own words
   » What is sleep apnoea?
   » What are the consequences of my sleep apnoea?

» Sleep apnoea syndrome diagnosis
   » How will my sleep be examined?
   » What happens while I’m asleep?

» Therapy for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA)
   » What treatment choices are there? 

» Questions and Answers, Tips and Tricks
   » Patients tell of their experiences
   » What should I pay attention to?
   » How should I handle the technology?
   » Answers to my questions

Dear Patient,
Sleep is as important as food and drink.  Only a regular sleep-wake cycle keeps us
physically and mentally fit over the long term.  But nowadays our hectic lifestyle
and its pressure on us to perform hardly allow us to relax.  Almost one adult in three
complains of sleep disorders and some of them are affected by sleep apnoea.  Modern sleep research is deeply involved in the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders and sleep apnoea.  Thousands of patients have already been helped.  Once their sound sleep is restored, they feel like new.  We hope that you will soon be one of them!

Your Weinmann Team

A
Respiratory Arrest - Known as Sleep Apnoea

In this section, you’ll learn what dangerous sleep disorders are hidden behind our apparently
‘normal’ snoring at night.  You’ll read about how to recognize respiratory arrest, what causes this malfunction and what can happen if sleep apnoea goes untreated.

Fall asleep. . .           Snore. . .         Respiratory arrest

B
How Do I Know if it’s Sleep Apnoea?

Perhaps you’ve been snoring for many years and your partner is seriously worried about you.  At night you stop breathing and the bedroom becomes absolutely quiet.  Sometimes it lasts a few seconds, sometimes longer than a minute.  Suddenly you wake with a start as your
breathing begins again with an explosive snort.  Your partner sits upright in bed, but you notice nothing of the nocturnal spectacle.  That’s the way it goes throughout the night. . . .
In the morning you feel tired and suffer from headaches or from tension in your shoulders and neck.  During the day, you always feel tired and worn out and fall asleep at every opportunity.

You can no longer keep up with the demands of the day.  You have trouble concentrating and
frequently lose your temper.  Perhaps you have even had sexual difficulties of late.  Have you also fallen asleep at the wheel?

C
In their own words……

Frank M:
“When my boss found me sleeping at my desk, I said to myself, ‘That’s the final straw. Go to the doctor.’” 

Walter B: 
“We have a big family, but I got no pleasure from our get-togethers anymore.  My wife had to pinch me all the time just to keep me from falling asleep.”

Walter M:
“I work as a field rep, so I’m used to driving long distances every day.  Recently I have simply nodded off while driving.  Horrible.  The last time I heard the horn of an oncoming truck just in time to wrench the wheel in the other direction.”

D
What is sleep apnoea?

Respiratory arrest is called apnoea.  Sleep apnoea means that respiratory arrest occurs while you sleep.  Doctors distinguish between two forms of sleep apnoea – central and obstructive – although a mixed form can also occur. 

In ‘obstructive sleep apnoea’, respiratory arrest is caused by so-called ‘obstructions’ or the closing of the upper airways.  While you sleep, the body’s musculature, including pharyngeal muscles and soft palate, relax and the base of the tongue falls backwards, closing off the upper airways. 

The brain, however, continues to send signals to our most important inhalation muscle, the diaphragm, and tells it to continue working.  This gives rise to negative pressure in the airways, which causes them to narrow and then close off completely.

Five to 10 respiratory arrests (apnoea), each lasting more than 10 seconds, for every hour of sleep can put the body under dangerous strain.  In this case, the body does not receive an adequate supply of oxygen.  The organism frees itself from respiratory arrest by sending an alarm to the brain.  Doctors refer to this emergency waking reaction as ‘arousal’.

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For decades Weinmann has been developing, producing and marketing medical devices for markets around the world. In cooperation with our partners Weinmann design economic health systems
for diagnosis and therapy in Sleep Medicine, Home Mechanical Ventilation, Oxygen Medicine and Emergency Medicine.

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Reproduced in the SAANZ website with the express permission of Weinmann.
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