Sleep apnoea is a serious sleep disorder that causes your breathing to stop and start while asleep. Sufferers may also make gasping, snorting and choking noises and feel very tired during the day. Loud snoring, headaches and difficulty concentrating are other common symptoms.

Here, we’ll explore the types, causes and treatments of Sleep Apnoea, how to live with the condition and what happens if you leave it untreated. For more information and support in navigating this condition, sign up to Carecircle and connect with fellow patients, carers and other experts.

What is sleep apnoea?

Sleep Apnoea is a serious sleep disorder that causes your breathing to stop and start while you’re asleep.

Because the sufferer is usually asleep when the majority of symptoms present themselves, it can be difficult to know whether or not you have the condition. Often, it is the bed partner who notices and highlights the condition first.

Types of sleep apnea

There are three types of Sleep Apnea, which include:

• Obstructive – This is the most common type of Sleep Apnea, where your airways become completely or partially blocked during sleep
• Central – This is the less common type of Sleep Apnea and is where your brain fails to tell your muscles to breathe during sleep
• Complex – This is where the sufferer experiences a combination of both Obstructive and Central Sleep Apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea

If you have Obstructive Sleep Apnoea, the tissue in the back of your throat usually collapses during sleep, causing your airways to become completely or partially blocked.

As a result, your chest muscles and diaphragm work harder to breathe while sleeping, reducing the oxygen flow to your vital organs and causing a build-up of carbon dioxide and abnormal heart rhythms. This pattern can repeat itself up to 30 times an hour, all night long.

As a result of this disruption, the sufferer will wake several times during their sleep and may make snorting, choking or gasping noises. Often, the sufferer will be completely unaware that they haven’t slept well during the night and may feel tired during the day.

Central sleep apnea

Central Sleep Apnea is less common than Obstructive and differs because it is not caused by upper airway constructions. Instead, it is caused by issues with the respiratory control centre and your brain’s inability to tell your muscles to breathe.

This type of Sleep Apnoea most commonly affects people who have had a stroke or suffer from heart failure, heart disease, kidney disease, lung disease or neuromuscular disease. Sleeping at high altitudes can also cause Central Sleep Apnea.

Complex sleep apnea

Also called treatment-emergent central sleep apnea by doctors, Complex Sleep Apnea is a combination of Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Central Sleep Apnea. If a person has Complex Sleep Apnea, their condition persists even after airway obstruction issues are addressed and treated.

It is estimated that around 15% of Sleep Apnea sufferers have the Complex type.

Sleep Apnea Symptoms

People suffering from Sleep Apnea may experience the following symptoms:

• Stopping breathing or experiencing abnormal breathing patterns during sleep
• Making gasping, snorting or choking noises during their sleep
• Snoring loudly while asleep
• Insomnia, or difficulty staying asleep
• Feeling very tired during the day
• Difficulty concentrating while awake
• Headaches, dry mouth or a sore throat upon waking
• Mood swings
• Night sweats
• A constant need to pee at night
• Sexual dysfunction

Because many of these symptoms present themselves while asleep, the sufferer may not realise they are experiencing them. As a result, Sleep Apnea symptoms are often first highlighted by the bed partner.

In children, the symptoms of Sleep Apnea are less obvious but may include:

• Sluggishness or sleepiness during the day
• Trouble swallowing
• Daytime mouth breathing
• Night sweats
• Bedwetting
• Learning and behavioural disorders
• Poor school performance
• The rib cage moving inwards during inhalation

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What causes sleep apnea?

Sleep Apnea can be caused by many things but you are more at risk if you:

• Are obese or overweight – This is the strongest risk factor for Sleep Apnea
• Are male – Studies show that men are two or three times more likely to suffer from Sleep Apnea than premenopausal women
• Have a large neck – A neck circumference of more than 43cm increases your risk of Sleep Apnea
• Have a high-arched palate – If the roof of the mouth is high or arched, it can narrow the airways during sleep
• Have an elongated palate – Extra long palates can narrow the opening between the pharynx and nasopharynx levels, which can compromise the airways
• Have nasal polyps – Soft, noncancerous growths on the lining of your nose or sinuses can also block your airways
• Have large tonsils or adenoids – These conditions can cause blockages in your airways
• Smoke – People who smoke are more likely to suffer from Obstructive Sleep Apnea
• Drink heavily – Excessive alcohol intake, particularly close to bedtime, can reduce your drive to breathe
• Have a family history of Sleep Apnea – Some people may inherit naturally narrow airways
• Sleep on your back
• Are middle-aged or older – While people of all ages can suffer from Sleep Apnea, it is more common in older people
• Take drugs that have a sedative effect – like sleeping pills, for example
• Are menopausal – Changes in hormone levels may cause women’s throat muscles to relax more than usual
• Have diabetes or high blood pressure
• Have asthma

According to research, you are also more at risk of developing Sleep Apnea if you are a professional driver. In fact, 41% of professional drivers suffer from some form of sleep disorder with 16% suffering from Sleep Apnea.

How do you diagnose sleep apnoea?

You should make an appointment with your GP if you think you might have Sleep Apnoea. If somebody else has seen you displaying symptoms, you may also want to bring them along.

If the GP suspects you have the condition, they may refer you to a specialist sleep clinic for tests.

Sleep Apnea test

If your GP recommends a Sleep Apnea test, you may be given devices to check your breathing and heart rate while you sleep. Usually, you can wear these while sleeping at home but sometimes you might be asked to stay in the clinic overnight.

The test will assess how often your breathing stops while sleeping and will come back with an AHI score. If your score comes back between 5 and 14, your condition is mild. An AHI score between 15 and 30 is considered moderate, while a score over 30 is considered severe.

Join Carecircle for free and find help, hope, and control with your Sleep Apnoea. Our global network for health makes you part of a worldwide community where your voice matters. Together, we can work toward a better future.

Sleep Apnea treatment

If your AHI score comes back as mild, you may not require treatment. However, those with moderate or severe AHI scores may be recommended the following sleep apnea treatments:

• A device called a Continued positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine that gently pumps air into a mask you wear while you sleep
• A gum shield-like device that holds your airways open while sleeping
• Surgery to aid breathing

CPAP machine

If you are recommended a CPAP machine, you will receive one for free from the NHS. It works by wearing a specialist mask over your nose and mouth, which is gently pumped with compressed air by the CPAP machine.

The compressed air works by stopping your airwaves from becoming too narrow while you sleep (reducing or preventing obstructions) and improving the quality of your sleep to reduce tiredness.

If Sleep Apnoea symptoms are improved by the CPAP machine, the sufferer will be less at risk from problems associated with the condition – like high blood pressure, for example.

Living with Sleep Apnea

If your Sleep Apnea is mild and you don’t require a CPAP machine, a gum shield-like device or surgery, there are ways you can relieve your symptoms and improve your overall sleep health. These include:

• Sleeping on your side – special pillows or bed wedges can help with this
• Losing weight if you’re overweight
• Stopping smoking
• Cutting down on alcohol – drinking heavily can worsen the effects of Sleep Apnea by decreasing your drive to breathe
• Avoiding sleeping pills – unless they have been recommended by a doctor

Sleep Apnea FAQs

It’s natural to have questions about Sleep Apnea. Here are the answers to some FAQs.

Is sleep apnea dangerous?

If Sleep Apnea is left untreated, it can cause a lot of series problems. From a health point of view, it can cause high blood pressure and increase your chances of having a stroke and developing Type 2 Diabetes.

The lack of sleep caused by the condition can also lead to depression, mood changes, difficulty concentrating and an increased chance of suffering from an accident as a result of severe tiredness.

Sleep Apnea can also cause issues in your relationship if your partner is struggling to cope with sleeping alongside you as a result of your gasping, choking and loud snoring. Naturally, they may also be concerned about your general health and wellbeing if you do not seek help.

What’s the meaning of apnea?

According to the Sleep Foundation, the term ‘apnea’ refers to paused breathing that lasts 10 seconds or more.

The word derives from the Greek word ‘Apnoea’, which means ‘without breath’. If people suffer from Sleep Apnea, they experience ‘apnea’ episodes repeatedly during their sleep.

Is sleep apnea a disability?

While Sleep Apnea is not considered a disability, some of the more serious effects of the condition (for example, stroke) may lead to disabilities.

If you are a professional driver and suffer from Sleep Apnea, you must inform the DVLA if the condition is obstructing your ability to drive safely on the roads. You will not lose your license simply for having Sleep Apnea. In fact, seeking medical treatment for your condition will improve your chances of keeping it.

What is a CPAP machine?

A continuous positive airway pressure machine (CPAP) is a device that delivers a continuous supply of compressed air via a pump and mask, which is worn over your nose and mouth while you sleep.

The device works by preventing your throat from closing during sleep and has proved effective for those suffering from Sleep Apnea symptoms.

How to stop heavy breathing while sleeping?

There are many ways to stop heavy breathing whilst sleeping and improve your symptoms of Sleep Apnea. These include losing weight if you are obese, stopping smoking and reducing your alcohol intake. You can also try sleeping on your side. Using a special pillow or bed wedge or taping a tennis ball to your sleeping attire can help you to stay in position.

Can you claim PIP for sleep apnea?

If you have a severe case of Sleep Apnea and live in the UK, you may be entitled to Personal Independence Payments (PIP). This only applies if you have difficulties with getting around or general daily life and expect to continue having these struggles for at least 9 months.

Join Carecircle for free and find help, hope, and control with your Sleep Apnoea. Our global network for health makes you part of a worldwide community where your voice matters. Together, we can work toward a better future.

Sleep Apnea Resources

If you’re suffering from the effects of Sleep Apnoea, you may find the following resources and links useful:

• Sleep Apnoea – NHS
• Sleep Apnoea Trust
• Sleep Apnoea – The Sleep Charity
• Hope 2 Sleep: The Sleep Apnoea and Sleep Support Charity

Sleep Apnoea is a serious sleep disorder, which affects a person’s ability to breathe normally during their sleep. If the condition is left untreated, it can cause serious health complications but fortunately, there are ways to improve the condition. These include losing weight, stopping smoking, reducing your alcohol intake, sleeping on your side, using a CPAP machine and undergoing surgery. You are more at risk of developing Sleep Apnoea if you are male, obese, middle-aged or older and have a family history of the condition.

Guide Sources

• https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/sleep-apnea/sleep-apnea
• https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/obstructive-sleep-apnea/symptoms-causes/syc-20352090
• https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sleep-apnoea/
• https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/central-sleep-apnea/symptoms-causes/syc-20352109
• https://www.everydayhealth.com/sleep-apnea/three-types-sleep-apnea/
• https://www.verywellhealth.com/how-alcohol-affects-sleep-apnea-3014680
• https://www.bupa.co.uk/health-information/lungs-breathing/obstructive-sleep-apnoea
• https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/thousands-people-27-conditions-missing-23872370
• https://www.usdaw.org.uk/CMSPages/GetFile.aspx?guid=e290054c-ba8b-4575-9f3c-d8c30c114075
• https://focusondisability.co.uk/disabilities-and-medical-conditions/sleep-apnea-a-guide/
• https://premiersleepassociates.com/2019/10/28/sleep-apnea-all-shapes-and-sizes-can-you-have-sleep-apnea-and-be-thin/
• https://www.healthination.com/health/lungs/nasal-polyps/nasal-polyps-sleep-apnea/