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Just like Anthony above, IT Sales Manager Benjamin, 36, was diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea in 2017. His work performance had been steadily declining, and he felt tired at meetings even as he tried to sleep more at night and on weekends. 

His wife complained about his incessant snoring, and initially, he blamed it on the stress of taking care of his newborn baby boy, but the problem persisted despite having his parents caring for his baby for a month. 

It was after losing concentration behind the wheel and getting into a minor fender bender that he sought help. A few visits to the doctors had him diagnosed properly with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, a condition where his airway was partially blocked when sleeping. This meant that he wasn’t getting enough oxygen while he slept, which causes daytime fatigue, headaches as well as declined mental faculty after waking up. 

Look to the person on your left, now do the same for the person on your right. One of you would probably have Obstructive Sleep Apnea, even without you knowing. 

The thing is, not everyone suffers from OSA in the same way. It is important to understand this as it factors heavily into determining the right type of treatment. 

Now, perhaps you might have read about the different “smartwatches”, “fitness bands” or even health apps proclaiming to help you diagnose your sleeping pattern. However, they are not medically certified, and will have disclaimers about seeing a doctor for an accurate diagnosis. 

Imagine the consequences of a wrong diagnosis – you might not get the help you need, and the sleep disorder might worsen. 

Back to Benjamin, our poor Sales Manager. His relationship with his wife was strained due to him not having proper sleep due to his snoring, and his work performance was taking a hit. He was nearly at his wit’s end, but he didn’t want to go through surgery. Thankfully, he found us, and came to us for a Sleep Consult, and found out the different therapies available to OSA sufferers.

Since going through with the Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy, he sleeps a full restful 8 hours a night and has not fallen asleep while driving. While Benjamin reacts well to a CPAP therapy, did you know that you can improve your sleep with something as simple as a tennis ball? 

 

Do you feel tired the entire day?
Do you snore loudly when you sleep?
Do you gasp for breath or choke in the middle of your sleep?

How The Airstation Helps

 

Seek Help from our Medical Professionals

Different Types of Sleep Therapy

Did you know you can reduce the impact of Obstructive Sleep Apnea with something as simple as a tennis ball? There are many different types of therapies for treating OSA, ranging from simple lifestyle therapies, medical positive airway therapies, all the way to surgery. And what works for one person may not necessarily work for you. 

After a sleep consult, it will be easier to diagnose your sleep disorder, or whether you even need therapy in the first place! Treatment may be as simple as sleeping in a different position, so that you reduce your snoring, and get more oxygen as you sleep! 

Lifestyle Therapy

 

The simplest of improvements may be just sleeping on your side instead of on your back. Some mild to moderate OSA sufferers find improvement in their sleep health after sleeping on their back. Other therapies recommended may be a change in lifestyle such as diet or even alcohol reduction. This depends on the severity of your Obstructive Sleep Apnea. 

Medical Devices

 

Medical devices such as jaw repositioning dental splints and Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) may be prescribed to you. Jaw repositioning dental splints may be helpful for mild to moderate OSA. CPAP is a gold standard therapy option across all OSA severity. The success of your CPAP therapy depends very much on your compliance, which can be enhanced by having great support from your clinical application team.

Surgical Intervention

 

Nasal and throat endoscopy may be performed to determine if surgical intervention is an option for you. A medical doctor will assess the tissues blocking your airway and advise the success rate on treating your OSA with the various surgical intervention. These can be as minimally invasive as Radiofrequency Volume reduction (RaVor) which is a simple procedure done in the clinic.


Our doctors may advise you based on the severity of your OSA. 

See What People Are Saying About Us

“Lynn was very patient with me as she went through my sleep test. She explained to me what the report meant, and how my snoring worsened at certain sleeping positions. She also answered my questions fully, and explained to me what was going to happen at every stage. All my concerns and worries were answered with professionalism.

I feel more awake during the day now, and my wife says she don’t hear my snoring now. I can’t recommend them enough. Thanks guys!”

Alfred Wong

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)?

Obstructive Sleep Apnea is a sleeping disorder or a condition in which a person stops breathing repeatedly throughout the night. Breathing stops because their throat “collapses” and prevents air from getting into the lungs.

Your sleep pattern is interrupted, resulting in you being unable to get “deep sleep” and causes excessive sleepiness and / or fatigue in the day.

A partial or complete closure of your airway passages is termed as apnea (absence of breathing), and can last anywhere from 10 to 90 seconds, reducing the oxygen in your body. The severity of OSA can be as severe as 100 episodes of apnea in one hour.

How do I know if I should get tested?

If you have ever faced the following symptoms:

●     Excessive daytime sleepiness / fatigue (even after a full night’s sleep of 7-8 hours)

●     Gasping and / or choking during sleep

●     Poor concentration at work (or at school for your child)

●     Loud habitual snoring (has your family or spouse mentioned this to you before?)

●     Accidents caused due to sleepiness or lack of alertness

Why should I get treated?

Obstructive Sleep Apnea doesn’t just disrupt our lives, but that of our partners and family as well. Snoring and gasping for breaths at night can cause our partner to wake up.

Additionally, if we operate heavy machinery (including cars or motorcycles) during the course of our day, we are putting the lives of our passengers, who may be our families, at risk as well.

What are the risks of untreated Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) can have serious short and long term health risks if left untreated, including but not limited to:

●     Risk of Cardiac (heart) issues

●     Irregular Heartbeat

●     Hypertension

●     Stroke

●     Lethargy

●     Continued disturbed sleep

This is because OSA causes a disruption to oxygen flow into your lungs, interrupting other bodily functions.

What causes the airway to close during sleep?

Some people would have larger tonsils, and the extra tissue can block the airway when they are relaxed during their sleep.

Otherwise, their tongue might fall back and close off (fully or partially) their airway. Also, when a person is asleep, their muscles would be relaxed, and thus, the muscles holding the airway open may also be relaxed and close off the airway, either fully or partially.

What are the treatments for Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

Most commonly, once diagnosed, Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy would be recommended. It is non-invasive (no surgery) and it can help with the symptoms when used as prescribed.

Surgery and oral appliances can also be used, depending on the severity of OSA, and where there are other complications with the sleep disorder.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea can occur at any age. Before going straight to surgery, it is vital to go through a formal diagnostic sleep assessment. You’ll receive a Sleep Report of your sleeping condition and get the most appropriate treatment recommendations.

In our bid to help as many Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) patients discover their problems as early as possible, we are offering the diagnostic sleep consult assessment at a cost price of $49.50 (nett) only.

Let our team of medical professionals and certified Sleep Technologists help you (or your loved ones) cope with your sleeping issues now. Fill in the form below to schedule a Formal Diagnostic Sleep Assessment, and we will start serving you immediately.