For several years, Sara knew something was wrong.

She enjoyed a successful career and a busy lifestyle. But she wasn’t sleeping well, and often awoke feeling dull, listless and tired. She struggled with lethargy and increasing chronic pain due to arthritis.

After a visit to UBC Hospital’s Sleep Disorders Program, the Toronto native learned that that she had severe sleep apnea, a disorder in which a person repeatedly stops breathing during sleep for an average of 10 to 30 seconds, sometimes hundreds of times per night. Sleep apnea occurs when the upper airway becomes partially or completely blocked by soft tissue.

Surprisingly, Sara’s condition is quite common among Canadians.“Lack of sleep can have minor side-effects like increased irritability, decreased ability to focus and may leave you prone to sickness,” notes Dr. John Fleetham, Medical Director for the Sleep Disorders Program and Professor at UBC’s Department of Medicine. “Left untreated, sleep apnea can give rise to diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.”

Staff at the Sleep Disorders Program recommended Sara use a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine, which provides steady air pressure through a mask or nose piece, as part of her nightly routine. Using the CPAP for the first time was literally the difference between night and day for Sara. The quality of sleep that she experienced made her feel years younger and it was the first time in years that she received eight hours of quality, uninterrupted sleep.

Sara credits her experience at the Sleep Disorders Program for regaining her ability to sleep well and the opportunity to enjoy her life more fully again. And Sara no longer feels chronically tired and her arthritic pain has lessened.

“In my spare time, I play with my dog out at Jericho or Spanish Banks and I love volunteering in the community and gardening,” she says. “Life is so much different.”

Donate now to support UBC Hospital’s Sleep Disorders Program. Your contribution will help us upgrade the program, improving access to treatment for patients like Sara.

[:zh]在过去的几年，Sara 總是觉得有点不适。

她很享受成功的事业及繁忙的生活，但她总是睡得不好，醒来时经常感觉迟缓，无精打采并很疲惫。她的嗜睡和关节炎引致的慢性疼痛让她很痛苦。

“人们没有意识到在睡觉时会同时经历呼吸道的严重堵塞，甚至会危及生命，” Sara说。 ”这已经毁了我的生活。”

在参观过温哥华综合医院的睡眠障碍计划后，多伦多出生的Sara意识到了她患有严重的睡眠窒息症，这是一种在睡眠期间重复性地停止呼吸的疾病，平均每次10至30秒，有时每晚会重复数百次。当上呼吸道局部或完全被软组织阻塞时，便会產生睡眠窒息。

令人惊讶的是，Sara的状况在加拿大人中很常见。睡眠障碍医学总监，卑诗大学医学系教授John Fleetham博士说：“缺乏睡眠可能会产生轻微的副作用，如易常感困扰，专注能力下降，乜使人容易生病。 “如果没有得到有效的治疗，睡眠窒息症可引起糖尿病，高血压和心脏病。

睡眠障碍计划的医护人员建议Sara使用持续气道正压通气机（CPAP），透过面罩或鼻部件提供稳定的气压，以帮助她较易入睡。第一次使用(CPAP) Sara已感受到早晚明显的不同。她的睡眠质量使她感觉年轻了很多，Sara体验了多年来第一次 8个小时的高质、不间断的睡眠。

Sara很感谢睡眠障碍计划的医护人员帮助她重获睡眠的质素，让她有机会再次享受生活。她不再感到长期疲痹，同时关节炎的痛症也减轻了。

“现在工余时，我会带小狗在Jericho或Spanish Banks玩，我也喜欢为社区做园艺的义务工作，” Sara说。 “生活是可以这么不同。”

请加入我们，支持卑诗大学医院的睡眠障碍计划。您的捐助将帮助我们改善诊所，令如Sara的患者获得适当治疗。