Expert reveals: What are the key signs you might be suffering from sleep apnea?

In today’s busy world it’s no surprise that Australians aren’t getting enough sleep, with 4 in 10 Australian adults reportedly not getting enough good-quality sleep (1). From lifestyle to stress to underlying health issues, Australian Facial Reconstruction Surgeon Dr Paul Coceancig says it is key to look for and identify the cause of your poor sleep, with the worst cause being Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).

Dr Paul Coceancig, who is a leader in offering prevention and cure for sleep apnea in adolescents and adults, shares that the science has revealed that Obstructive Sleep Apnea can reduce your lifespan by as much fifteen years, so it’s important to identify early.

“Obstructive Sleep Apnea is a sleep disorder where breathing is partially or completely blocked repeatedly during sleep. This condition is due to narrowing or blockage of the upper airway during sleep and the repeated stoppages in breathing can last anywhere from a few seconds to a number of minutes. Snoring and sleep apnea is usually associated with small jaws. This tongue collapse occurs when you enter a state of deep sleep and your body and tongue loses muscle tone, with the collapsed tongue falling back and obstructing the airway.

“There are other factors that can contribute to snoring and sleep apnea, the most common of which are excess weight or obesity, but can also include allergies or chronic upper airway infection.

“Obstructive Sleep Apnea is emerging as a leading cause of high blood pressure, of blood thickening, of thickening arteries, of stroke and heart attack and the mixture of diabetes and obesity,” reveals Dr Coceancig.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea is the most prevalent sleep disorder in Australia with an estimated 780,000 Australians living with Sleep Apnea in 2019-20 (2). A large proportion of these remain undiagnosed.

Below Dr Coceancig shares the key signs to look out for that you may be suffering from sleep apnea:

• Poor sleep – “If you have OSA, the absolute biggest sign is having a poor night sleep,” says Dr Coceancig.
• An inability to breathe whilst you are sleeping.

• Snoring – “You don’t necessarily know you snore but everyone else does so listen to them, something is going on,” shares Dr Coceancig.
• Choking when you enter deep sleep, the time when your body wants to completely recharge and regenerate, making it hard to achieve a good night’s rest.

Other signs to look out for include brain fog, lethargy, weight gain, depression, heightened anxiety, grinding or clenching your teeth at night and sore throat.

Dr Coceancig encourages that if you think you may be struggling with sleep issues and Obstructive Sleep Apnea to see a healthcare professional or specialist.

World Sleep Day on March 17 is a global awareness event held annually and hosted by World Sleep Society. World Sleep Day is intended to be a celebration of sleep and a call to action on important issues related to sleep.

For further information on Dr Paul Coceancig, visit https://drpaulcoceancig.com.au