How are sleep and anaesthesia the same? How do they differ?

Sleep is natural.  When you have met the need for it, it will finish by itself. Anaesthesia is caused by drugs. It will only finish when the drugs wear off.  These drugs work by acting on the same parts of the brain that

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

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

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

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

Things you need to know about Obesity and Sleep

• Not getting enough sleep increases the risk for obesity by altering processes that promote weight gain
• Weight loss is more difficult to achieve in individuals who report short sleep times
• Sleep loss combined with inappropriate timing of eating

Click here to view a fact sheet about Obstructive Sleep Apnea in simplified Chinese.

点击这里，查看关于以下内容的资料单：阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停（OSA）

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

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)

Why do people snore?
You snore when some parts of your throat vibrate. This only happens when you're asleep. The part of your throat that vibrates is called the pharynx. It is right behind the tongue. Several small muscles hold it open. But when you sleep, these muscles relax. This makes it

What is surgery for OSA ?
Surgery in adults with OSA should only be a last resort. As a rule, it is only worth it if you can’t wear CPAP (despite persistent effort) or use an Oral Appliance. Surgery might also be used in certain cases to help you wear these. On the other hand, surgery is

Important things to know about OSA treatments

• As the causes of sleep apnea vary there is no single treatment that works for everyone.
• Deciding which treatment is most appropriate is best done by talking to your doctor.
• Weight loss is advisable in anyone who is overweight.
• Reduction of