24 Mar 2011
If you are constantly feeling groggy and have morning headaches, you might have obstructive sleep apnoea – a disorder where people stop breathing repeatedly during sleep because their airways collapse.
A study published in Sleep Research Online by Associate Professor K. Puvanendran, a senior consultant at the department of neurology in Singapore General Hospital, found that it affects 15per cent of the population in Singapore.
Lack of sleep is a problem faced by millions. Electronics giant Philips recently published the Philips Index For Health And Well-being report, part of which focused on the relationship between sleep and health.
The massive consumer research study, conducted across 23 countries, involved more than 31,000 people. About 35 per cent of the respondents said they did not feel that they get enough sleep – something which impacts on both their physical and mental health.
Sleep apnoea sufferers may experience daytime sleepiness and unrefreshed sleep no matter how many hours they sleep. They also exhibit symptoms like poor concentration, frequent urination at night, dozing off during routine activities, loud snoring and choking and gasping for air while asleep.
However, the symptoms are not always evident. A person may have sleep apnoea and not even know it.
Feeling irritable or depressed during the day and feeling tired all the time may indicate that you have the sleep disorder, said DrPaul Mok, the head and senior consultant of the department of otolaryngology (ENT) at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.
Sexual dysfunction in men is also a symptom of sleep disorder, he added. The department sees 25 sleep apnoea patients a month.
Dr Mok was speaking at a press conference last week to announce a global partnership between Philips and the World Association Of Sleep Medicine to increase awareness of how sleep impacts health and well-being.
Those who suspect they have sleep apnoea can go for an overnight sleep study at Singapore General Hospital, National University Hospital, Singapore Neurology and Sleep Centre and Khoo Teck Puat Hospital. The first study without assistive devices costs between $500 and $1,000.
For treatment, patients can wear masks which provide a continuous stream of air pressure to keep their airways open when they sleep.
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Dept of Neurology
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