PRIORITISE YOUR SLEEP
HEALTH
Are you sleeping well at night or are you
tossing and turning all night long? An
underlying sleep disorder may be the cause of
your restless nights. Genesis SleepCare QLD
explains more.
leep disorders are a large and under-recognised
problem in Australia. Although many people realise
the importance of getting enough sleep, many are
unaware that sleep disorders can lead to serious
health problems. Some of the more recognised sleep
S
disorders include obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), insomnia and restless
leg syndrome (RLS).
Obstructive sleep apnoea is characterised by repetitive episodes of
upper airway obstruction that occur during sleep, usually associated
with a reduction in blood oxygen saturation. Sleep disordered breathing
disrupts the normal sleep pattern and will benefit from medical
attention. This can occur many times throughout the night and most
people are completely unaware that it is happening.
Whilst OSA is being increasingly identified, it is thought that over
70% of individuals with the condition remain undiagnosed. Studies
show that one in five adults suffer mild OSA and one in fifteen have at
least moderate OSA.
60 Pindara Magazine 2017