Sleep apnoea and snoring

What is obstructive sleep apnoea?

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) happens when the muscles in your throat relax during sleep and your airway narrows or closes. Your breathing becomes shallow or stops for a few seconds at a time. Your brain briefly wakes you to start breathing again, often so briefly that you don't remember it.

This can happen many times an hour, all night. Even if you spend eight hours in bed, your sleep is broken up, and you can wake up feeling as if you hardly slept.

Snoring or sleep apnoea, what's the difference?

Snoring is the sound of air vibrating past relaxed tissue in your throat. On its own it's often called "simple snoring" and isn't necessarily a health problem. Snoring is more likely to be linked to sleep apnoea when it's:

• loud and happens most nights
• broken by silent pauses, then snorting, choking or gasping
• combined with feeling tired or sleepy during the day

Only a sleep study can tell the two apart for certain.

Common signs

Who is more likely to have it?

Anyone can have sleep apnoea, including people who are slim and young. It's more common in people who:

• are carrying extra weight, especially around the neck
• are male, or are women after menopause
• are over 50
• have large tonsils, a small jaw or a blocked nose
• drink alcohol in the evening or take sedating medicines
• have a family history of sleep apnoea

Why it matters

Untreated moderate to severe sleep apnoea is linked to high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. Daytime sleepiness also raises the risk of accidents on the road and at work. Many people with sleep apnoea don't know they have it.

How is it diagnosed?

Start with your GP. They'll ask about your symptoms and may use short questionnaires. If sleep apnoea seems likely, they can refer you for a sleep study, which is often a home sleep test that's bulk billed for eligible patients. The results show whether you have sleep apnoea and how severe it is.

Treatment options

Treatment depends on how severe your sleep apnoea is and what suits you. Your doctor may suggest one or more of these:

• CPAP: a bedside machine that keeps your airway open with gentle air pressure. It's a common first choice for moderate to severe sleep apnoea. Learn about CPAP support.
• Mandibular advancement splint: a custom mouthguard, made by a dentist, that holds your lower jaw forward.
• Lifestyle changes: weight loss, cutting back alcohol in the evening, and stopping smoking.
• Positional therapy: for people whose apnoea mainly happens when sleeping on their back.
• Other options: such as treating a blocked nose, or surgery in selected cases, usually after seeing a specialist.

Sleep apnoea FAQs