What is Sleep Apnoea?
Sleep apnoea is a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts. If you snore loudly and feel tired even after a full night’s sleep, you might have sleep apnoea.

In most patients the cause of the airway inflammation is unknown. In some patients the cause is identified and is usually due to pollen, mould or animal dander.

What are the main types of Sleep Apnoea?

The main types of sleep apnoea are:

• Obstructive sleep apnoea, the more common form that occurs when throat muscles relax
• Central sleep apnoea, which occurs when your brain doesn’t send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing
• Complex sleep apnoea syndrome, also known as treatment-emergent central sleep apnoea, which occurs when someone has both obstructive sleep apnoea and central sleep apnoea

What are the symptoms of Sleep Apnoea?

The signs and symptoms of obstructive and central sleep apnoeas overlap, sometimes making it difficult to determine which type you have. The most common signs and symptoms of obstructive and central sleep apnoeas include:

• Loud snoring
• Episodes in which you stop breathing during sleep — which would be reported by another person
• Gasping for air during sleep
• Awakening with a dry mouth
• Morning headache
• Difficulty staying asleep (insomnia)
• Excessive daytime sleepiness (hypersomnia)
• Difficulty paying attention while awake
• Irritability