What is the difference between sleep apnoea and snoring?

Sleep Apnoea and Snoring can both affect sleep quality and lead to tiredness, but there is a distinct difference between the two.

What is Sleep Apnoea?

Sleep Apnoea is when your breathing stops and starts while you sleep. The most common type is called Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA).

What are the symptoms of Sleep Apnoea?

Symptoms of Sleep Apnoea usually happen while sleeping and include:

• Making gasping, choking or snorting noises
• Stopping and starting breathing
• Waking up frequently
• Very loud snoring

Sleep Apnoea also makes you feel incredibly tired during the day, causes lack of concentration and you may have a headache in the morning.

Sleep Apnoea may be serious if it is not diagnosed or treated so it is best to speak to a doctor if you have concerns or are displaying symptoms.

What can help Sleep Apnoea?

• Losing weight
• Sleeping on your side
• Using a CPAP machine

Which products help with Sleep Apnoea?

Putnams supply a range of CPAP pillows that have been designed to improve comfort while sleeping on your side with a CPAP machine. The pillows shape helps to reduce pressure on the face and reduce blow out into the eyes.

How about Snoring?

Snoring occurs when the soft tissue and muscle lining in the throat or airway vibrate as a result of relaxing while you sleep.  Snoring can cause disrupted sleep, both for you and your partner so it is worth considering a product that may help.

Which products help with Snoring?

The Anti-Snore Contour Pillow from Putnams is made in Memory Foam and cradles your head, supporting and relieving pressure on your neck and back. When sleeping on your side, the pillow tilts your head back to open up the airway and reduce snoring.

Putnams Bed Wedge Pillow

The triangular bed wedge pillow is also a great product to try for Sleep Apnoea or Snoring.   The wedge shaped foam pillow ensures that you sleep on an incline, elevating the torso and therefore reducing pressure on the airway.