Understanding, Recognising, and Treating Obstructive Sleep Apnoea
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When Snoring Becomes Something More Serious
If you’ve been told you snore heavily, gasp during sleep, or seem to stop breathing at night, you may be dealing with more than simple snoring. These can be signs of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA)—a recognised sleep disorder that affects millions of people worldwide and carries significant health implications if left untreated.
Sleep apnoea is different from ordinary snoring, though the two are closely related. While snoring occurs when airflow is partially obstructed, sleep apnoea involves complete blockage of the airway—causing breathing to stop entirely for periods ranging from a few seconds to over a minute. These breathing pauses can occur dozens or even hundreds of times per night, severely disrupting sleep and depriving the body of oxygen.
Many people with sleep apnoea don’t realise they have it. They may know they snore, but they’re unaware of the repeated breathing interruptions that fragment their sleep. They wake up exhausted, struggle through the day, and assume this is simply how life is. It doesn’t have to be.
Understanding sleep apnoea is the first step toward addressing it. This page explains what happens during sleep apnoea, how to recognise the warning signs, the health consequences of leaving it untreated, and the treatment options available—including how Snoreguard can help people with mild to moderate sleep apnoea breathe easier and sleep better.
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What Is Obstructive Sleep Apnoea?
Obstructive Sleep Apnoea occurs when the muscles in your throat relax too much during sleep, causing the soft tissues to collapse and block your airway. Unlike simple snoring, where the airway narrows but remains open, sleep apnoea involves complete obstruction—your airway closes entirely, and airflow stops.
When breathing stops, oxygen levels in your blood begin to drop. Your brain recognises this danger and triggers a brief arousal—just enough to restore muscle tone, reopen the airway, and resume breathing. You might gasp, snort, or choke as the airway reopens. Then you settle back into sleep, your muscles relax again, and the cycle repeats.
These arousals are usually so brief that you don’t remember them. You might spend eight hours in bed and believe you slept through the night, unaware that your sleep was interrupted fifty, a hundred, or even more times. This is why sleep apnoea often goes undiagnosed—the person experiencing it may have no idea what’s happening.
The severity of sleep apnoea is measured by the Apnoea-Hypopnoea Index (AHI), which counts the number of breathing interruptions per hour of sleep. Mild sleep apnoea involves 5 to 15 events per hour. Moderate sleep apnoea involves 15 to 30 events per hour. Severe sleep apnoea involves more than 30 events per hour—meaning breathing stops at least once every two minutes throughout the night.
The Difference Between Snoring and Sleep Apnoea
It’s important to understand that not everyone who snores has sleep apnoea, and not everyone with sleep apnoea snores loudly. However, the two conditions exist on a spectrum. Simple snoring involves partial obstruction of the airway—enough to cause vibration and noise, but not enough to stop breathing entirely. Sleep apnoea involves complete obstruction, where the airway closes and breathing ceases.
Many people progress from snoring to sleep apnoea over time, particularly if they gain weight, age, or develop other risk factors. What begins as an occasional snore can evolve into a serious sleep disorder. This is one reason why snoring should never be dismissed as merely a nuisance—it may be an early warning sign of something more significant developing.
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Recognising the Signs of Sleep Apnoea
Because sleep apnoea occurs while you’re unconscious, recognising it can be challenging. Many of the most telling signs are observed by partners or family members rather than the person experiencing them. If someone has told you that you stop breathing during sleep, make choking or gasping sounds, or snore extremely loudly, these observations should be taken seriously.
Symptoms You Might Notice Yourself
Even without a partner to observe your sleep, there are symptoms you can recognise on your own. Excessive daytime sleepiness is one of the hallmarks of sleep apnoea. If you consistently feel tired despite spending enough time in bed, if you struggle to stay awake during meetings or while watching television, if you find yourself dozing off at inappropriate times, your sleep may not be as restorative as it should be.
Morning headaches are common among people with sleep apnoea. The repeated drops in oxygen and the effort of struggling to breathe can cause headaches that are present upon waking and typically fade as the day progresses. A dry mouth or sore throat in the morning can indicate that you’ve been breathing through your mouth during the night—often a sign of airway obstruction.
Many people with sleep apnoea report feeling unrefreshed no matter how long they sleep. They may spend nine or ten hours in bed and still wake up feeling exhausted. This is because the repeated arousals prevent them from spending adequate time in the deeper, restorative stages of sleep. The quantity of sleep may be sufficient, but the quality is severely compromised.
Difficulty concentrating, memory problems, and mood changes are also associated with sleep apnoea. The brain simply cannot function optimally when sleep is fragmented night after night. Irritability, depression, and anxiety can all be exacerbated by poor sleep quality.
Symptoms Others Might Observe
Partners and family members often notice the more dramatic signs of sleep apnoea. Loud, persistent snoring that occurs most nights is a common indicator. The snoring associated with sleep apnoea is often particularly loud and may be punctuated by periods of silence followed by gasps, snorts, or choking sounds as breathing resumes.
Witnessed apnoeas—where the person actually stops breathing for noticeable periods—are perhaps the most alarming sign. Partners describe watching their loved one lie silent, not breathing, for what feels like an eternity before suddenly gasping and resuming breathing. This can be frightening to witness and is a strong indication that professional assessment is needed.
Restless sleep, frequent position changes, and night sweats can also be observed by bed partners. The body’s struggle to breathe often manifests as physical restlessness throughout the night.
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The Health Consequences of Untreated Sleep Apnoea
Sleep apnoea is not merely an inconvenience or a quality-of-life issue. It is a serious medical condition with significant health implications. The repeated drops in blood oxygen, the strain on the cardiovascular system, and the chronic sleep deprivation all take a toll on the body over time.
Cardiovascular Effects
The cardiovascular system bears much of the burden of untreated sleep apnoea. Each time breathing stops, oxygen levels drop and the heart must work harder to circulate the available oxygen throughout the body. This repeated stress contributes to elevated blood pressure, often resistant to medication. Studies have shown that people with moderate to severe sleep apnoea have significantly higher rates of hypertension than those without the condition.
The risk of heart disease, including heart attack and heart failure, is elevated in people with untreated sleep apnoea. The condition is also associated with an increased risk of stroke. The mechanism involves not just the immediate oxygen deprivation, but also the inflammation and metabolic changes that result from chronic sleep disruption.
Irregular heart rhythms, including atrial fibrillation, are more common in people with sleep apnoea. The combination of oxygen fluctuations and the stress response triggered by each breathing interruption can destabilise the heart’s electrical system.
Metabolic Effects
Sleep apnoea has been linked to metabolic disorders, including type 2 diabetes. The sleep disruption and oxygen deprivation appear to affect how the body processes glucose, increasing insulin resistance. People with sleep apnoea are more likely to develop diabetes, and those who already have diabetes may find it harder to control.
Weight gain and difficulty losing weight are also associated with sleep apnoea. This creates a challenging cycle: excess weight is a risk factor for sleep apnoea, and sleep apnoea makes it harder to lose weight. The hormonal disruptions caused by poor sleep affect appetite regulation, often increasing cravings for high-calorie foods.
Cognitive and Mental Health Effects
The brain requires quality sleep to function properly, and sleep apnoea severely compromises sleep quality. Memory problems, difficulty concentrating, and reduced cognitive performance are common. Some research suggests that untreated sleep apnoea may increase the risk of dementia over the long term.
Depression and anxiety are significantly more prevalent among people with sleep apnoea. It’s not always clear whether the sleep disorder causes these mental health conditions or exacerbates existing tendencies, but the relationship is well documented. Many people find that treating their sleep apnoea improves their mood and emotional wellbeing.
Safety Risks
The daytime sleepiness caused by sleep apnoea creates real safety risks. People with untreated sleep apnoea are significantly more likely to be involved in motor vehicle accidents. Drowsy driving impairs reaction time, judgment, and attention—similar to the effects of alcohol. Workplace accidents are also more common among those with untreated sleep apnoea, particularly in occupations involving machinery or requiring sustained attention.
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Who Is at Risk for Sleep Apnoea?
While sleep apnoea can affect anyone, certain factors increase the likelihood of developing the condition. Understanding these risk factors can help you assess whether you might be at elevated risk and should seek evaluation.
Excess weight is one of the strongest risk factors. Fat deposits around the upper airway can obstruct breathing, and the additional weight on the chest and abdomen makes it harder to breathe when lying down. However, it’s important to note that sleep apnoea also affects people who are not overweight—anatomy, muscle tone, and other factors play a role.
Age increases risk, as muscle tone naturally decreases over time. Men are more likely to develop sleep apnoea than women, though the risk for women increases after menopause. Family history plays a role—if close relatives have sleep apnoea, your risk is elevated.
Anatomical factors matter significantly. A naturally narrow airway, enlarged tonsils or adenoids, a thick neck circumference, or a recessed chin can all contribute to airway obstruction. Nasal congestion from allergies, a deviated septum, or other causes makes sleep apnoea more likely.
Lifestyle factors also play a role. Alcohol consumption relaxes the throat muscles, worsening obstruction. Smoking causes inflammation and fluid retention in the airway. Sedative medications can have similar effects to alcohol on muscle tone.
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Getting a Proper Diagnosis
If you suspect you might have sleep apnoea, proper diagnosis is important. While the symptoms described on this page can suggest the condition, definitive diagnosis typically requires a sleep study—either conducted in a sleep laboratory or using a home testing device.
A sleep study monitors your breathing, oxygen levels, heart rate, and other parameters while you sleep. This data allows specialists to determine whether you have sleep apnoea, assess its severity, and recommend appropriate treatment.
We encourage anyone experiencing symptoms of sleep apnoea to consult with their doctor or a sleep specialist. Proper diagnosis ensures you receive the most appropriate treatment for your situation and helps identify any other conditions that might be contributing to your symptoms.
That said, many people with mild to moderate sleep apnoea—and certainly those with simple snoring that hasn’t yet progressed to apnoea—can benefit significantly from oral appliance therapy like Snoreguard.
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Treatment Options for Sleep Apnoea
Several effective treatments exist for sleep apnoea. The most appropriate option depends on the severity of your condition, your anatomy, your lifestyle, and your personal preferences.
CPAP Therapy
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) is often the first treatment recommended for moderate to severe sleep apnoea. A CPAP machine delivers a constant stream of pressurised air through a mask worn during sleep, keeping the airway open through positive pressure.
CPAP is highly effective when used consistently. However, compliance is a significant challenge. Many people find the mask uncomfortable, claustrophobic, or intrusive. The machine creates noise. Travel becomes more complicated. Partners may find it off-putting. Studies consistently show that a substantial proportion of people prescribed CPAP either use it inconsistently or abandon it altogether.
For those who can tolerate CPAP and use it consistently, it remains an excellent treatment. But for those who struggle with compliance, alternative approaches may be more practical.
Oral Appliance Therapy
Oral appliances like Snoreguard offer an alternative for people with mild to moderate sleep apnoea, as well as those who cannot tolerate CPAP. These devices work by repositioning the lower jaw forward during sleep, which helps keep the airway open and reduces obstruction.
Custom-fitted oral appliances are more comfortable than CPAP for many people. There’s no mask, no straps, no machine noise. The device is portable, making travel simple. Compliance rates are generally higher because people are more willing to use something that doesn’t feel intrusive.
Snoreguard has helped many people with sleep apnoea breathe easier and sleep better. We’ve worked with clients who tried CPAP and found it intolerable, and who have achieved significant improvement with our custom-fitted devices. While severe sleep apnoea may still require CPAP, many people with mild to moderate cases find oral appliance therapy to be an effective and sustainable solution.
Lifestyle Modifications
Lifestyle changes can complement other treatments and, in mild cases, may provide meaningful improvement on their own. Weight loss, if applicable, can reduce the severity of sleep apnoea. Avoiding alcohol and sedatives before bed helps maintain muscle tone. Sleeping on your side rather than your back can reduce obstruction for some people.
However, lifestyle modifications alone are rarely sufficient for moderate to severe sleep apnoea. They’re best viewed as supportive measures alongside primary treatment rather than standalone solutions.
Surgical Options
Various surgical procedures exist for sleep apnoea, from tissue removal or repositioning to more extensive operations involving the jaw. Surgery is generally considered when other treatments have failed or when specific anatomical issues make it the most appropriate option. As with any surgery, there are risks involved, and results vary.
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How Snoreguard Can Help
For over thirty years, Snoreguard has been helping New Zealanders with snoring and sleep apnoea breathe easier and sleep better. Our custom-made oral appliances are designed to gently reposition the jaw during sleep, keeping the airway open and reducing obstruction.
We’ve worked with many clients who came to us after struggling with CPAP therapy. They wanted relief from their sleep apnoea but couldn’t tolerate the mask, the noise, or the inconvenience. For many of them, Snoreguard provided an effective alternative that they were actually willing to use night after night.
One client had been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnoea at Greenlane Hospital, where overnight oximetry testing showed his oxygen saturation dropping dangerously low during sleep. While CPAP made an enormous difference to how he felt, he found it noisy, cumbersome, and difficult to travel with—a significant problem given that he spent eighteen days out of every twenty-eight overseas. Snoreguard gave him his freedom back. He describes it as one of his most treasured possessions.
Our approach is personalised. We assess your particular situation, discuss your symptoms and concerns, and recommend the device most likely to work for you. Every Snoreguard is custom-made from precise impressions of your teeth and gums, ensuring a comfortable fit that you’ll actually use.
We stand behind our work with a full money-back guarantee. If Snoreguard doesn’t help your condition, we’ll work with you to make adjustments, and if it’s ultimately not suitable, we’ll refund your purchase and help guide you toward alternatives.
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Take Action for Better Sleep
If you recognise yourself in the symptoms described on this page, don’t ignore them. Sleep apnoea is a serious condition, but it’s also a treatable one. With proper diagnosis and appropriate treatment, you can protect your health, improve your quality of life, and finally get the restorative sleep your body needs.
We encourage you to consult with your doctor if you suspect you have sleep apnoea. A proper diagnosis will help ensure you receive the most appropriate treatment. And if you’re looking for an alternative to CPAP or want to explore oral appliance therapy, we’re here to help.
Book a free consultation with Snoreguard. We’ll discuss your situation, answer your questions, and help you understand your options. There’s no obligation and no pressure—just an honest conversation about how we might be able to help you sleep better.
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Contact Snoreguard
Free consultations are available by phone or through online booking. We’re happy to answer your questions and help you understand your options.
Mobile: 027 523 2134
Email: support@snoreguard.co.nz
Location: Snoreguard New Zealand, 178a Waimumu Road, Massey, Auckland 0614
Don’t let sleep apnoea control your life. Help is available.
Important Note: This information is provided for educational purposes and should not be considered medical advice. Sleep apnoea is a medical condition that requires proper diagnosis. If you suspect you may have sleep apnoea, please consult a healthcare professional for assessment and treatment recommendations. Snoreguard is suitable for snoring and mild to moderate sleep apnoea; severe cases may require CPAP or other interventions.