The signs of sleep apnoea.
Obstructive sleep apnoea is when your airway narrows or closes over and over while you sleep. Most people don't know they have it. Here are the signs to look for.
What happens
When you fall asleep, the muscles in your throat relax. In obstructive sleep apnoea, the airway narrows or closes, your breathing drops or stops for a few seconds, and your brain briefly wakes you to start it again. It can happen many times an hour, usually without you remembering.
Signs at night
These are often noticed by the person you sleep next to.
- Loud, regular snoring.
- Pauses in breathing, followed by a snort or a gasp.
- Waking up choking or short of breath.
- Restless sleep, or getting up to go to the toilet during the night.
- Clenching or grinding your teeth.
Signs during the day
- Waking up tired, however long you've slept.
- Feeling sleepy during the day, or dozing off when you sit still.
- Morning headaches or a dry mouth.
- Trouble concentrating, or feeling irritable or low.
Feeling drowsy behind the wheel is a sign to take seriously. Pull over and rest, and talk to your GP.
What raises the chance of it
- Carrying extra weight, especially around the neck.
- Getting older.
- Being male, though plenty of women have it too, especially after menopause.
- The shape of your jaw and airway, large tonsils or a blocked nose.
- Alcohol or sedatives in the evening.
- High blood pressure.
How to find out
Only a sleep study can tell you whether you have sleep apnoea and how much. The questionnaires Medicare uses, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, STOP-BANG and OSA50, are built from the signs above, and they're part of our home sleep study form.
If you recognise these signs, talk to your GP, or start the form and we'll check whether a bulk billed home study suits you.
Start with one form.
A few minutes on your phone. Questions first? Call (02) 8090 4358, 9am to 3pm weekdays, or book a phone call.