What is sleep apnoea?

Sleep apnoea is a condition where;

your breathing is irregular and stops and starts while you sleep
you make gasping, snorting or choking noises while you sleep, these are different from snoring
you always feel very tired during the day

Sleep apnoea may also increase your risk of:

developing high blood pressure (hypertension)
having a stroke or heart attack
developing an irregular heartbeat
developing type 2 diabetes
being involved in a motor accident as it impacts your ability to drive

Sleep apnoea is a treatable, and there are a variety of treatment options that can reduce the symptoms. These include lifestyle changes, or wearing devices that keep your airways open.

Need to know

What treatment options are available for sleep apnoea?

There are several treatment options that can reduce the symptoms of sleep apnoea. These include:

Lifestyle changes such as losing excess weight, cutting down on alcohol and sleeping on your side.
Using a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device. These devices prevent your airway closing while you sleep by delivering a continuous supply of compressed air through a mask.
Wearing a mandibular advancement device (MAD). This gum shield-like device fits around your teeth, holding your jaw and tongue forward to increase the space at the back of your throat while you sleep.

How to prepare

There are no special preparations you need to make prior to treatment.

After treatment

While the symptoms of sleep apnoea can be eased, treatment will most likely need to be lifelong. If left untreated, it can have a significant impact on your quality of life, causing problems such as poor performance at work and school, and placing a strain on your relationships with others.