What happens when
you have sleep apnea?
-
01. Air stops flowing.
Your lungs stop receiving air for 10 seconds or more, which means you’ve stopped breathing. -
02. The brain sends a signal.
Thanks to that, your body wakes up and restarts your breathing before allowing you to fall back asleep. -
03. The cycle is repeated...
Once, 10 times, sometimes 100 of times a night! Most people with sleep apnoea are unaware how impaired their sleep is.

Am I suffering from
sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is a pause in breathing for over 10 seconds. This may be considered normal when it does not exceed 4 events per hour.
There are different levels of severity:
- Mild (happens 4 to 14 times per hour)
- Moderate (happens 15 to 30 times per hour)
- Severe (happens more than 30 times per hour)
Sleep apnea has a strong impact on your days . .
It is not so simple to see the link between feeling irritable during the day and suffering from sleep apnea at night. If you are able to relate to one or more of the following symptoms, then you should perhaps look further into it...
- Waking up tired
- Morning headaches
- Memory problems and difficulty concentrating
- Irritability and impatience
- Reduced intellectual performance
- Learning disabilities
What if I don't get treatment
?Left untreated, sleep apnea leads to chronic diseases and may even be fatal. Here are the effects it has on the body.
Risk of stroke
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Risk of stroke
People with untreated sleep apnea are 2 times more at at risk
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Risk of depression
45% of people suffering from depression have sleep apnea.
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Risk of car accidents
People suffering from sleep apnea are 2.5 times more likely to have a fatal road accident.
Risk of heart failure
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Risk of heart failure
People with untreated sleep apnea have 2.5 times the risk.
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Risk of cardiovascular mortality
People with untreated sleep apnea are 5 times more at at risk.
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Risk of drug-resistant hypertension
83% of people with drug-resistant hypertension suffer from sleep apnea.
Risk of diabetes
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Risk of diabetes
72% of people with type 2 diabetes suffer from sleep apnea.
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Risk of morbid obesity
77% of people suffering from morbid obesity have sleep apnea.
What is the treatment?
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An oral applianceA dental device is used to hold the lower jaw forward to facilitate the passage of air, without any additional health risks.
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Positive pressure ventilationContinuous Positive Airway Pressure therapy (PAP or CPAP) delivers pressurised air through a mask to keep the upper airways open throughout the night.
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SurgeryThose who do not want to use masks or for whom they are not the best option, may consider a surgical procedure (nose, tonsils or adenoid surgery, bariatric surgery).
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Positional therapyThis involves learning to sleep without lying on the back, training the patient to sleep on their side to avoid gravitational effect on the tissues at the back of the throat which may cause apnea.
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Nutrition monitoring (lifestyle and weight loss)Following healthy eating habits can significantly improve symptoms. With weigh loss, the tissues at the back of the throat become thinner and the airways are free for easy passage of air.
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Myofunctional therapyMyofunctional therapy (MFT), done mainly in children, is based on building the muscle strength of the tongue, mouth and upper airways through a series of strengthening exercises.