What is sleep apnoea?
Sleep apnoea is a sleep-related breathing disorder. During sleep, your airflow can stop or drop for around 10 seconds or longer, briefly lowering your blood oxygen. Your brain notices and nudges you awake just enough to take a breath, then the cycle starts again, often many times an hour without you remembering it in the morning.
If you've just been diagnosed, take a breath: this is a well-understood, manageable condition, and the right treatment can help you sleep more soundly and wake feeling more rested. Below we explain the types, the warning signs, how severity is measured, and your treatment options, in plain language.
This page is general information, not medical advice. For diagnosis and a treatment plan, speak with your GP or a sleep clinician. Our clinical partner, CLM Sleep, offers sleep studies and clinical support.
The three types of sleep apnoea
Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA)
OSA is the most common type. It happens when your upper airway becomes partly or fully blocked during sleep, usually around the nose or throat, as the muscles there relax. Loud snoring, gasping for breath and daytime tiredness are common signs, though some people with OSA don't snore much at all. Factors that can contribute include:
- Carrying extra weight, which can add tissue around the neck and airway
- Enlarged tonsils or adenoids
- A blocked nose from allergies or a cold
- The natural shape of your nose, neck or jaw
- Sleeping tablets or sedatives, which relax the airway muscles
- Smoking
- Sleeping on your back
Central sleep apnoea
Central sleep apnoea is less common. It occurs when the brain doesn't reliably signal the muscles that control breathing. Because it often doesn't cause noticeable snoring, it can go undetected. It is sometimes associated with other health conditions, so it's worth discussing any concerns with your doctor.
Mixed sleep apnoea
Mixed sleep apnoea is when someone has both obstructive and central sleep apnoea.
Warning signs to look out for
Many sleep apnoea symptoms happen while you're asleep, so they can be easy to miss. If you share a bed, a partner may notice that you snore loudly, stop breathing, or make gasping or choking sounds during the night.
Daytime symptoms can include:
- Fatigue, persistent tiredness or sleepiness during the day
- Low mood
- Trouble concentrating or remembering things
- Morning headaches
These symptoms have many possible causes, so the only way to confirm sleep apnoea is a proper assessment, typically a sleep study, arranged through your GP or a sleep clinic such as CLM Sleep.
How severity is measured (the AHI)
Sleep apnoea is graded as mild, moderate or severe based on how many breathing events you have each hour. An event is a complete or partial loss of breath lasting at least 10 seconds: a complete pause is called an apnoea, and a partial reduction is a hypopnoea. A sleep test, often a home sleep test, measures these and produces your Apnoea–Hypopnoea Index (AHI).
| Category | Events per hour (AHI) |
|---|---|
| Normal | Fewer than 5 |
| Mild | 5 to 14 |
| Moderate | 15 to 29 |
| Severe | 30 or more |
Your AHI helps your clinician recommend the most suitable treatment, including the right pressure settings if a CPAP machine is prescribed.
How sleep apnoea is treated
The good news is that obstructive sleep apnoea responds well to treatment, and most people start with CPAP therapy.
CPAP therapy
A CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine delivers a gentle, steady stream of air through a mask to keep your airway open while you sleep. It's the most common and effective treatment for OSA. Many newer machines are auto-adjusting (APAP), automatically fine-tuning pressure through the night for comfort. You can browse genuine, Australian-supplied CPAP machines and talk to a real consultant about what suits you.
Other options
- Lifestyle changes such as managing your weight, staying active, quitting smoking and reducing alcohol before bed may help reduce symptoms.
- Positional therapy (sleeping on your side rather than your back) can help if your symptoms are worse when you sleep on your back.
- Oral appliances are custom mouthpieces that reposition the jaw and tongue to help keep the airway open; these are fitted by a dentist or sleep specialist.
- Surgery is sometimes considered for specific structural causes, such as enlarged tonsils or a deviated septum, usually when other treatments haven't been enough.
Your healthcare provider can guide you to the best option for your situation. Getting the right mask is just as important as the machine, our mask finder can help you narrow it down, and you're welcome to be fitted in person at our Elizabeth store.
Can you lower your risk?
Some risk factors, such as family history, are out of your control, and research suggests sleep apnoea can run in families. Other factors are more manageable. Steps that may help reduce your risk or ease symptoms include maintaining a healthy weight, staying physically active, quitting smoking, and limiting alcohol in the evening. If you take sleeping tablets for insomnia, it's worth asking your doctor whether alternatives might be better, as some sedatives can relax the airway. If you snore mainly when on your back, try sleeping on your side.
Why buy your CPAP equipment from CDW
CPAP Discount Warehouse is an Adelaide-based, authorised dealer of genuine, TGA-regulated equipment from ResMed, Fisher & Paykel, Philips Respironics and Löwenstein, shipping Australia-wide. You get up to 50% off RRP, a 5% Price-Beat Guarantee, free shipping over $200, same-day dispatch, and Afterpay or Zip if you'd like to spread the cost. Most importantly, you can talk to a real CPAP consultant, in store in Elizabeth, SA, or over the phone, so you're never working it out alone.
