What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

Obstructive Sleep Apnea or OSA is a common sleep disorder where you have one or more pauses in breathing while you sleep.

These pauses can last from a few seconds to minutes. They may occur 30 times or more an hour. When normal breathing resumes, this can sometimes begin with a loud snort or choking sound.

Your breathing is affected when the muscles that control the upper airway relax too much during sleep. If they relax too much, the upper airway narrows and you may begin to snore. If the airway narrows even further, it may become completely blocked, hence why it is called an obstruction and you temporarily stop breathing. This obstructive apnea can last for ten seconds or more, it may happen frequently and even several hundred times per night.

When an apnea occurs your heart has to work harder than usual to deliver blood to our organs. Having to do this on a regular basis can lead to negative consequences for both the heart and for the organs to which it pumps blood.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea is very common and affects 1 in 5 adults in Australia. So, if you or your partner is experiencing snoring, low energy, gasping when you’re asleep, or daytime sleepiness, then you may be suffering from obstructive sleep apnea and require CPAP treatment.

Contact CPAP Club for more information on how to get a Home Based Sleep Study to diagnose Sleep Apnea

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