Essential Respiratory & Sleep Australia

14/08/2025

Is CPAP the only answer for sleep apnea? Maybe not for long.

The Nyxoah Genio system is a new implantable device designed to treat obstructive sleep apnea without the need for a mask or hose.

How it works: Stimulates the hypoglossal nerve to keep your airway open during sleep.

Who it’s for: Adults with moderate to severe OSA who can’t tolerate CPAP.

Current status: Available in Europe and now approved by the FDA in the USA. In Australia, it has only been used in clinical trials and is not yet commercially available.

The potential: No mask, no hose, and the freedom to sleep naturally while controlling OSA.

We’ll be watching this closely and will share updates on any steps toward approval in Australia.

Follow ERSA to stay up to date on the Genio system and other emerging sleep and respiratory technologies that could change how we treat these conditions.

Would you consider an implant if it meant no more CPAP mask? Tell us below.

13/08/2025

CPAP may help prevent hypertension in OSA.
A European Respiratory Journal study found that continuous positive airway pressure stopped blood pressure from rising in normotensive patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea and a dipping blood pressure pattern. In this randomized controlled trial, the CPAP group showed a significant drop in nighttime diastolic blood pressure compared with usual care, suggesting CPAP could be used to prevent hypertension.

Read the full article here

A new study reveals the potential benefit of continuous positive airway pressure in preventing hypertension in normotensive patients with obstructive sleep apnea and a dipping blood pressure pattern.

03/08/2025

🫁 Child Lung Function Testing is Available from Age 5 🧒👧

At ERSA (Essential Respiratory & Sleep Australia), we provide specialist lung function testing for children aged 5 and up.

Whether it's for asthma, chronic cough, unexplained breathlessness, or pre-surgical evaluation — our experienced Clinical Physiologists use child-friendly equipment and techniques to get accurate, reliable results in a calm and supportive setting.

📍 Bulk billed for eligible referrals
📅 Fast appointment availability
📞 Call 1800-4-SLEEP or visit www.ersa.au to book

🩺 Because respiratory care shouldn’t wait.

25/06/2025

😴 Why Do We Sometimes Recommend Extra Testing During a Sleep Study?
If you’ve ever read your sleep report and seen the suggestion:

“A review by a sleep physician is strongly recommended for consideration of an in-laboratory CPAP titration study with TCO₂ monitoring and a waking blood gas test,”

…you might wonder, what does that actually mean? Here’s a simple explanation 👇

🫁 TCO₂ Monitoring – Checking Your Breathing Overnight
TCO₂ stands for transcutaneous carbon dioxide monitoring. It's a non-invasive sensor (usually placed on your skin) that checks how well you're getting rid of carbon dioxide while you sleep.

Why does that matter? Because some people don’t breathe deeply enough overnight, even if their oxygen levels seem okay. This can happen in conditions like:

Obesity hypoventilation
COPD
Neuromuscular conditions
Or just very shallow breathing during sleep

TCO₂ helps us catch those problems early and fine-tune your treatment.

💉 Waking Arterial Blood Gas Test – A Deeper Look at Your Lungs
This is a quick blood test (usually taken from the wrist) done in the morning after a sleep study. It measures your:

Carbon dioxide (CO₂)
Oxygen
Blood pH (acidity)
And more

If your body is holding on to too much CO₂, it can be a sign that you need more support than standard CPAP. Sometimes it means switching to a different machine or adding daytime support.

👩‍⚕️ Why You Might Need These Tests
Not everyone needs them — but for some patients, especially those with ongoing tiredness, breathlessness, or other medical conditions, these extra checks give us a more complete picture of how your lungs are working overnight.

At ERSA, we’re here to make sure your sleep treatment is exactly right for you — and sometimes, that means digging a little deeper to get the full story.

📞 Got questions? Call us on 1800-4-SLEEP or visit www.ersa.au to book a consultation.

20/06/2025

🧠 Over a Century of Brainwaves: Celebrating 100 Years Since the Discovery of EEG

On 6 July 1924, a quiet but revolutionary moment occurred in the German city of Jena. Psychiatrist Hans Berger, driven by an insatiable curiosity about the human mind, placed electrodes on a person’s scalp and successfully recorded the first-ever electroencephalogram (EEG)—capturing spontaneous electrical activity from the brain.

What Berger saw was remarkable: rhythmic waves that pulsed with the brain's internal rhythm—what we now call alpha waves. This breakthrough opened a new window into brain function, allowing us to observe, in real time, what was once invisible.

Today, 100 years on, EEG has become a cornerstone of neuroscience and clinical medicine, playing a vital role in areas such as epilepsy, coma monitoring, and perhaps most meaningfully for us at Essential Respiratory & Sleep Australia (ERSA)—sleep medicine.

EEG in Sleep Studies: Watching the Brain While You Rest

At ERSA, we routinely use EEG during overnight sleep studies (polysomnography) to map the brain’s activity through different sleep stages. From light sleep to deep slow-wave sleep and REM (where dreams occur), EEG tells us when and how the brain cycles through these vital phases.

Why does this matter?

EEG helps us diagnose sleep disorders such as narcolepsy, REM behaviour disorder, and sleep-related epilepsy.

It allows us to accurately stage sleep, which is essential for identifying disruptions like obstructive sleep apnoea or fragmented sleep architecture.

It provides a fuller picture of brain function in those experiencing unexplained fatigue, cognitive decline, or nocturnal events like seizures or parasomnias.

EEG is not just about wires and waveforms—it’s about seeing the silent language of the sleeping brain, and using that knowledge to improve lives.

From Berger to Bedside: A Century of Insight

What began as a solitary experiment in 1924 has become a powerful tool that now helps thousands of Australians each year better understand their sleep—and their health.

At ERSA, we're proud to honour Hans Berger’s legacy by continuing to advance sleep science with evidence-based, personalised diagnostics. Whether you're struggling with persistent fatigue, snoring, or unrefreshing sleep, EEG remains central to uncovering the “why” behind your symptoms.

📅 100 Years of EEG – and We're Just Getting Started

As we celebrate this milestone, we also look forward to the next century of innovation in sleep and brain health. Here's to a future of deeper understanding, better sleep, and healthier brains.

If you or someone you know is experiencing sleep issues, reach out to us at www.ersa.au or call 1800 4 SLEEP. Your brain deserves the best rest possible.

18/06/2025

Is poor sleep making you feel like a beast? Awaken feeling refreshed with the help of our Auto-CPAP machines. We will beat any other store buy 5%. Call 1800 04 CPAP (272) today!

18/06/2025

18/03/2025

Did you know that Resmed started in Sydney?

35 years ago, ResMed made a promise to help millions worldwide to sleep, breathe, and live better lives. From that day forward, we've continued to innovate…

17/02/2025

✅ Philips DreamStation CPAP – Safe. Reliable. Better than Ever!

We understand the concerns surrounding the Philips CPAP recall. We want to reassure you that the issue with the sound-dampening foam has been fully resolved.
✅ The old foam has been replaced with a new, safe, and tested material.
✅ All current Philips DreamStation devices meet the highest safety standards.
✅ Trusted technology, now even safer for your health.

Your sleep and safety matter to us.
If you have any questions or need a CPAP upgrade, we’re here to help.

📞 Call us at 1800-4-SLEEP
🌐 Visit: www.ersa.au

17/02/2025

Important Update for Philips DreamStation Users

We would like to keep our patients informed about an important update regarding the Philips DreamStation 4G cellular modem and the DreamMapper app.

Delay to the DreamStation 4G Modem Release
Philips has announced that the release of the new 4G cellular modem for DreamStation devices has been delayed until July 2025. While this may cause some inconvenience, Philips is working to ensure the highest standards of quality and patient safety. If you are registered for the 4G modem upgrade, Philips will provide updates on their progress as they work toward the new release date.

Keeping Your Data Connected
In the meantime, you can still keep your therapy data connected and accessible through the Philips DreamMapper app using Bluetooth. This allows your device to sync data to Philips Care Orchestrator, helping you and your healthcare provider monitor your CPAP therapy.

What You Can Do Now:
Download the DreamMapper App: Connect your DreamStation device via Bluetooth to keep your data synced.

Alternative Data Access: You can still access your data by downloading it via the SD card from your device if needed.
Need Help?
For more information or support with DreamMapper setup:

Visit: www.philips.com.au/DreamMapper
Contact Philips Support: 1800 830 517 or dreammapper.support@philips.com

If you need assistance with your CPAP therapy or device setup, feel free to contact our team at ERSA on 1800-4-SLEEP or visit www.ersa.au.

Take charge of your sleep therapy. Sleep apnoea therapy can help you reap the benefits of a good night’s sleep and be more active during the day. The DreamMapper sleep apnoea app can help you stay motivated on your PAP therapy. Get feedback on your therapy progress every day.