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Sleep Apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea is a sleep disorder where a person’s breathing is involuntarily interrupted by choking episodes that last 10 seconds or more. The throat relaxes during sleep and causes the airway to collapse; this prevents air from entering the lungs. Because the breathing is momentarily interrupted, an individual’s oxygen level will fall to low levels which causes strain on the heart. These episodes may occur repeatedly throughout the night and can lead to transient wakings and fragmented sleep. Untreated obstructive sleep apnea results in serious health complications and poor sleep quality that makes you feel tired during the day.

According to The Canadian Thoracic Society’s Sleep Disordered Breathing Clinical Assembly:

  • 1 of every 5 adults has at least a mild form of sleep apnea (20%)
  • 1 of every 15 adults has at least moderate sleep apnea (6.6%)
  • 2 to 3% of children are likely to have sleep apnea
  • Over 1 in 4 (26%) Canadian adults have a high risk of having or developing obstructive sleep apnea.
  • High blood pressure (hypertension)
  • Type II Diabetes
  • Congestive heart failure
  • Heart attack/stroke
  • Depression
  • Obesity 
  • Impotence
  • Post operative complications
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Unfortunately, there is no permanent “cure” for sleep apnea, however there are a variety of effective treatments such as CPAP therapy, which remains the gold standard. These treatments aim to minimize the overall impact of sleep apnea.
There are a few treatments for OSA. In mild cases your physician might recommend lifestyle modification such as weight loss or oral appliance. However, if that does not alleviate your symptoms or your sleep apnea is diagnosed as moderate to severe, the most effective treatment option is a positive airway pressure device to open the blocked airway. CPAP is considered the Gold Standard for treatment of obstructive sleep apnea.

If any of the following apply to you, please complete the Quiz to find out if you are at risk for sleep apnea:

  • Loud and persistent snoring
  • Pauses in breathing or gasping during sleep
  • Excessive daytime Fatigue
  • Associated health conditions such as obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease
  • Family history of snoring or obstructive sleep apnea
  • Poor sleep patterns/insomnia
  • Poor memory/judgement
  • Confirmation of disturbances from bed partner or family members
  • Excessive daytime sleepiness/fatigue
  • Observed episodes of interrupted breathing
  • Loud Snoring
  • Waking frequently at night (frequent nighttime urination)
  • Morning headaches
  • Nocturnal gasping/choking
  • Restless sleep
  • Nocturnal heartburn
  • Waking with dry mouth or sore throat
  • Night sweats
  • Depression/moodiness
  • Decreased irritability
  • Snoring wakes you or others
  • Waking up short of breath or gasping/choking
  • Excessive daytime fatigue
  • Pauses in breathing during sleep
  • Family history of sleep disordered breathing
  • Chronic nasal congestion affecting your sleep