Everyone deserves a good night’s sleep – are you getting one?
Do you wake up exhausted? Does your partner complain about your snoring or gasping for air?
You may be one of many people who suffer from sleep apnoea in Ireland, and you may not even know you have it. The risks of Sleep Apnoea increase with your weight. Up to 77% of obese people may suffer from Sleep Apnoea.
At the Midland Sleep Clinic, Portlaoise, our trusted team of respiratory consultants and nurses can diagnose sleep apnoea and a range of other sleep disorders, and tailor treatment options to fit your lifestyle.
What is Obstructive Sleep Apnoea?
Obstructive Sleep Apnoea is when gaps in breathing occur at night while you are asleep.
During apnoea episodes, the muscles supporting your airway relax, thus stopping air from getting into your lungs. Your airway will either totally collapse or partially collapse. This can lead to excessive daytime sleepiness often with irritability or restlessness.
What are the symptoms?
- Feeling inclined to nod off during daytime hours
- Trouble concentrating or memory loss
- Morning headaches
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Nocturia i.e. a frequent need to use the loo at night
- A general feeling of tiredness and poor energy levels despite having had a good night’s sleep
How do I know if I have Sleep Apnoea?
The only way to determine if you suffer from Sleep Apnoea is to undergo a sleep study which is a comprehensive test used to diagnose sleep disorders.
The sleep study, also known as Polysomnography, can be done In-Hospital or At Home depending on your consultant’s recommendation and the type of screening required.
Take our 2 minute sleep test
How likely are you to doze off or fall asleep in the following situations, in comparison to feeling just tired? This refers to your usual way of life in recent times. Even if you haven't done some of these things recently, try to work out how they would have affected you.
Sitting and reading
Watching TV
Sitting still in a public place (e.g. a theatre, a cinema or a meeting)
As a passenger in a car for an hour without a break
Lying down to rest in the afternoon when the circumstances allow
Sitting and talking to someone
Sitting quietly after lunch without having drunk alcohol
In a car or bus while stopped for a few minutes in traffic
Take the Next Step to Better Sleep
Sleep Apnoea Treatment
Although there are a few ways to treat sleep apnoea such as making lifestyle changes (i.e. losing weight), Continuous Positive Airway Therapy (CPAP) is the gold standard treatment that delivers the best results. At the Midland Sleep Clinic, our tailored treatment programs are designed to treat and manage your sleep apnoea.
CPAP therapy involves using a device at night which delivers a prescribed air pressure via a mask to your airways. The primary aim of therapy is to ensure the airway is kept open so that apnoea’s do not occur.
What can I expect from CPAP Therapy?
CPAP therapy can change your life. It is no secret – CPAP machines work. When used consistently, most people find that CPAP machine alleviate most, if not all, of the negative effects of their sleep apnoea.
Many notice the change after the first night, others may take a few weeks to get used to the CPAP therapy. Like a lot of changes in life, it may take time to adjust to the therapy, but the benefits are certainly worth it. At the Midland Sleep Clinic, we will be there to support your treatment program.
Studies have shown that men with sleep apnoea regulate their hormone levels in just eight weeks, and this can lead to weight loss.
Regular use of CPAP therapy has a significant impact on mood including:
- 20% improvement in severe depression
- 66% reduction in severe sleepiness
- 20% less days lost from work
- Less daytime sleepiness & lethargy
- Reduction in headaches
- A far higher sense of wellbeing.
Simply put, CPAP therapy can literally change your life for the better.