Unichem and Life Pharmacy are calling on New Zealanders
struggling with their sleep to reach out to their local
Unichem and Life pharmacy teams to get tested for sleep
apnoea.
Friday, 17 March is World Sleep Day and aims
to spread awareness of how good quality sleep is crucial to
our physical, mental, and social wellbeing.
According
to Unichem and Life Pharmacy Group Chief Operating Officer,
Alison Van Wyk, sleep apnoea is one of the most common sleep
conditions facing New Zealanders and is contributing to a
national epidemic of poor sleep health.
“There are
over half a million New Zealanders who suffer from sleep
apnoea, a potentially serious sleep disorder in which
breathing repeatedly stops and starts. This makes it hard to
get normal, healthy sleep and can potentially lead to Type 2
diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, depression, and
strokes.”
Despite its prevalence in New Zealand, 80%
of sleep apnoea sufferers are currently undiagnosed. To get
diagnosed, most patients undergo an overnight test at a
sleep laboratory where key vitals are monitored and analysed
as they sleep.
According to Penny Backhouse, Pharmacy
Sleep Services Marketing Manager, the traditional pathway
for getting tested has been impacted by increasing pressure
on our healthcare system.
“Due to growing demands
and staff shortages, many people who try to follow the
traditional pathway for getting tested stay on long
waitlists which delays getting an important
diagnosis.
“Pharmacy Sleep Services have developed
an at-home sleep test that people can undertake immediately
without having to wait for a GP referral. If someone is
concerned about their sleep, all they need to do is visit
their local participating Unichem or Life Pharmacy, talk to
their pharmacist about their sleep and conduct a sleep test
that very night.”
Crucial sleep and health data is
uploaded from the testing device and sent to a sleep
specialist, who can make the diagnosis. Participating
pharmacies receive the sleep test within seven days to
provide advice to their patient.
A recent study found
that nearly 40% of Kiwis are sleeping less than seven hours
each night.[1]
Lack of sleep is consistently linked to problems ranging
from psychological distress, poorer sense of health,
self-esteem, and life satisfaction.
Retired paramedic
Craig Watts knew that he was a loud and frequent snorer, but
he wasn’t concerned about it until his wife noticed he
would stop breathing in his sleep. Despite trying to get a
referral to a sleep clinic from his GP, he was turned away
because he didn’t meet the criteria.
It wasn’t
until he walked into his local Life Pharmacy in Howick
Village, where he spoke to his pharmacist Leane Steele about
the Pharmacy Sleep Services CPAP devices sitting on the main
counter.
“After putting it off for years, I asked my
GP about sleep apnoea. I answered five questions about my
sleep, but it didn’t qualify me for a referral. However,
when I spoke to Leanne about the Pharmacy Sleep Services
tests and equipment, she set me up for a sleep test that
night.
“Not long after, we knew for sure I had sleep
apnoea. I was shocked to know that every hour while I slept,
my breathing stopped 68 times on average. For the past three
months I’ve been sleeping with my CPAP machine, and it’s
improved my life dramatically. I now have more energy and
look forward to the day.”
For more information on
the Pharmacy Sleep Services at your local Unichem and Life
Pharmacy, visit: https://www.lifepharmacy.co.nz/services/pharmacy-sleep-services/
1
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352721819301202?via%3Dihub
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