How Common is Sleep Apnea in Melbourne?

Right now, about 22 million Americans are currently suffering from sleep apnea, and while that is an extremely high number, here is another one that is a bit more shocking: over 80% of people with sleep apnea go untreated because they are either undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. That means about 17.6 MILLION people currently have an uncontrolled sleep disorder! Of course, numbers this large can be somewhat hard to imagine in your head, so to bring this issue home, we’ve decided to crunch the numbers and reveal how many people likely have sleep apnea in Melbourne. Are your sleep issues due to sleep apnea? We’ll reveal your chances today.

Sleep Apnea by the Numbers

First, let’s share what we know about the rates of sleep apnea across the country. These statistics come from the American Sleep Apnea Foundation:

• 1 in 5 adults has a form of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
• 1 in 15 adults have moderate to severe OSA
• 2-3% of children have OSA
• 9% of middle-aged women suffer from OSA
• 25% of middle-aged men suffer from OSA
• 10% of people 65 and older suffer from OSA
• People with untreated OSA are 4 times more likely to suffer a stroke and 3 times more likely to develop heart disease
• Approximately 38,000 annual cardiovascular deaths (due to high blood pressure, hypertension, stroke, etc.) are related to sleep apnea.

And here are the age demographics for the population of Melbourne, which is about 76,068 in total according to the most recent (2010) census:

• 20.7% are under the age of 18
• 9.3% are 18-24
• 28.4% are 25-44
• 21.9% are 45-64
• 19.7% are 65 and older

Sleep Apnea in Melbourne

So, when we combine these numbers, the amount of people with sleep apnea in Melbourne may include:

• About 472 children (under 18)
• About 12,064 adults (over 18)
• About 4,021 adults have moderate to severe OSA
• About 749 middle-aged women
• About 2,082 middle-aged men
• About 1,498 people aged 65 and older

What This Means

This is a lot of numbers, but what do they actually mean for you?

They mean that if you or a bed partner are experiencing any sleep apnea symptoms, such as feeling constantly exhausted during the day, waking up during the night out of breath, or having trouble focusing or remembering things, then sleep apnea is not out of the question! Be sure to consult your family doctor as soon as you can to get a proper diagnosis and start getting treatment.

Or, you can take our short sleep quiz. It’s only 8 “Yes or No” questions, and after you’ve completed it, our team of experts will evaluate it and contact you with advice on what to do next within 24 hours. Even if you are included in the numbers above, sleep apnea can be successfully treated, so be sure to take action today so you can sleep peacefully tonight and stay healthy tomorrow!

About the Author

Dr. Kenneth Mogell is a board-certified sleep dentist who has successfully treated obstructive sleep apnea in Melbourne for over 30 years. If you or a bed partner snore loudly or can’t seem to get enough sleep, he may be able to help you with a simple, custom-made oral appliance. If you have any concerns about your sleep, be sure to contact him today.