Does sleep-disordered breathing need to be redefined?

  • Obstructive sleep apnoea

  • Snoring

  • Upper airway resistance Syndrome

These conditions all come under the umbrella of “sleep-disordered breathing”.

Let me write that again. “Sleep-disordered breathing”.

Does that sound right? It sounds misguided to me.

The term sleep-disordered breathing suggests the the breathing is interrupted because of disordered sleep. In reality, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

It is infact our dysfunctional breathing that is disrupting our sleep. So in essence, all these conditions should be placed under a new umbrella term called breathing-disordered sleep.

We spend two thirds of the day awake. But are we all breathing functionally during that time? I doubt we all are, particularly those of us with breathing-disordered sleep!

Logically thinking, if we address our daytime dysfunction and train ourselves to breathing functionally during the daytime, then this correct breathing will carry on into our sleep.

At Sydney Airway Clinic, we think about things differently. We aren’t reinventing the wheel but we are thinking outside the box. In doing so, we’re changing peoples lives.

Help us help more people by sharing this website. Spread some love to your family friends because I guarantee you that someone you know snores or has sleep apnoea. You sharing our website could change the course of their life.