What is ASPD?

This is a sleep disorder where you keep going to bed and waking up too early.  For example, you might find it hard to stay up until a normal bed time such as 10pm. You might feel a strong urge to go to bed as early as 8-9pm. Once in bed you fall asleep quickly and sleep well for

Many patients with respiratory problems use positive airway pressure therapy.  This can be for a problem that affects movement of air into and out of the lungs (e.g. obstructive sleep apnea, obesity or a respiratory muscle disorder) or the lungs themselves (e.g. chronic obstructive pulmonary

What is Central Sleep Apnea?

While asleep, there may be pauses in breathing, which are called apneas. Up to 5 brief apnoeas an hour may be seen in normal adults. For people with central sleep apnea (CSA), the apneas last longer and occur more frequently. The body does not make an attempt to

How are snoring and sleep apnea related?

A child with sleep apnea almost always snores. They may struggle to breathe and have restless sleep. There are often breathing pauses which may end with a gasping or choking noise. As the child struggles to breathe, they may wake up briefly. In young

Are people with CFS just tired?

People with CFS are more than “just tired”. They suffer from an intense fatigue and exhaustion that won’t go away. Physical or mental activity can make their CFS symptoms worse. To recover, the person must rest for longer than usual. People with CFS have less energy

TEN COMMON SLEEP DISORDERS

1. Insomnia

Insomnia is when it is hard to get to sleep or stay asleep. Often, the cause is discomfort from an illness. Other times, it can be feeling upset, sad or stressed. In these cases, what needs to be done is to get rid of the cause. But in other cases, there is

What is CPAP?

CPAP is Continuous Positive Airways Pressure. It is the most effective way to treat sleep apnoea. If you have Obstructive Sleep Apnea, your Sleep Specialists may give you a range of treatment choices and CPAP may be one of these.

How does CPAP work?

CPAP is a simple concept. The

Why is it important to use CPAP?

If you suffer from Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) and need treatment, the most effective option we have at the moment is CPAP. Full details about this treatment can be found on our Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) fact sheet.

CPAP can improve health of

What is delayed sleep phase syndrome?

Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome (DSPS) is a disorder where you find it harder to go to sleep until very late at night. This can be as late as 4AM. In the morning, you will want to sleep in for longer, perhaps until the early afternoon. If you have to wake up

I think I’m depressed, how do I know?
If you keep feeling hopeless, helpless and sad, then you could have clinical depression. You may have low motivation and low energy. It might seem like there is no joy in life anymore. Changes in how you sleep and eat are also a sign of depression. Some

Why try herbs to help your sleep?

About 40% of people use alternative or complementary medicines at least occasionally. This can be for many reasons, including problems with sleep. Some people who are concerned about using sleeping pills will turn to herbal remedies to help them sleep (see our

1. What is insomnia?
Insomnia is said to be present when you regularly find it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep. It has several patterns. You may have trouble getting to sleep initially. Or even if you can fall asleep, you might not be able to stay asleep for as long as you would like. Also you

Click here to view a fact sheet about Insomnia in simplified Chinese.

点击这里，查看关于以下内容的资料单：失眠

These translated fact sheets were funded by a grant from the Australian Chinese Community Foundation.

What is melatonin?
Melatonin is a hormone that is produced by the pineal gland in the brain. Melatonin levels vary in 24 hour cycles and are controlled by our body clock. Normally its production is reduced by being in bright light. Levels increase at night. This is why it is often called ‘the

1. What is it?
Patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) have repeated episodes of partial or complete obstruction of the throat (also known as the "pharynx" or "upper airway") during sleep. A narrow floppy throat is also more likely to vibrate during sleep, which causes snoring. If

What are oral appliances?
Oral appliances are one of the options that you can use to treat mild or moderate obstructive sleep apnea, as well as snoring. They are also called Mandibular Advancement Splints (MAS) or Mandibular Advancement Devices (MAD) or Mandibular Repositioning Appliances (MRA)

The Australasian Sleep Association, the national professional body of sleep specialists and sleep scientists, maintains a list of sleep services offered by its members. These include services for adults and children.
This list can be found at:

What is a sleep study?
A sleep study is a medical test. Sleep is monitored to assist with the diagnosis of sleep problems. It may be done in the home or by staying overnight in a specialised sleep clinic, whichever is best for you.

What happens in a sleep study that is completed in a sleep

What Are Sleeping Tablets?

Sleeping tablets work on pathways in the brain which are important in regulating whether someone is awake or asleep. Most sleeping tablets make the ‘sleep pathways’ more active.  One of the newer medications works by making the ‘wake pathways’ less