When snoring is serious: all about sleep apnoea

Written by: Professor Bhik Kotecha
Published: | Updated: 24/05/2023
Edited by: Sophie Kennedy

An estimated forty per cent of the UK population are snorers, which is not good news if they have a sleep-deprived partner struggling to snooze by their sides. But what happens if snoring is the sign of an underlying health condition? Around 2.5 million adults in the UK have undiagnosed sleep apnoea. We invited highly respected consultant ENT surgeon Professor Bhik Kotecha to explain when snoring may be a sign of a condition like obstructive sleep apnoea and to share his expertise on the available treatment options. 

 

 

What is obstructive sleep apnoea?

 

Sleep apnoea is a common condition that affects around 100,000,000 people worldwide. During sleep, the walls of the throat relax and become narrower, thus interrupting normal airflow and breathing. This, in turn, can lead to disrupted sleep and all that entails with the knock-on effect on daily life. If you or somebody you know is a regular snorer, it is worth getting checked out by a doctor, as sleep apnoea is a potentially serious condition that can lead to other, more severe health problems.

 

Counting sheep: sleep apnoea symptoms

 

In most cases, the initial symptoms of sleep apnoea are noticed by a partner or somebody other than the sufferer. The most common signs of sleep apnoea are:

  • Loud snoring
  • Regular breathing interrupted by gasps for air or snorting
  • Laboured and noisy breathing

 

Sometimes night sweats and frequent urination at night can be a sign of sleep apnoea. As sleep is disrupted by irregular breathing, there is a lack of oxygen supply to the brain. The individual is forced out of deep sleep so that the throat can open properly and normal breathing resume. It is common for people with sleep apnoea to feel tired during the day because of this, however most people are unaware they have nightly breathing difficulties, and are therefore ignorant of their problem.

 

What causes sleep apnoea?

 

There are a number of factors that can cause narrowing of the throat to the extent that an individual develops sleep apnoea. Some common causes of sleep apnoea include:

 

  • Being overweight -  excess fat puts strain on throat muscles making it more difficult to breathe
  • Being male – although the reason is unknown, sleep apnoea affects more men than women
  • Sedative medicines – such as sleeping pills
  • Alcohol – drinking alcohol increases likelihood of snoring and sleep apnoea
  • Smoking – also increases the chances of developing sleep apnoea
  • Nasal congestion – people who have nasal congestion problems, such as a deviated septum, are also more susceptible to sleep apnoea
  • Family history -  people with relatives who have sleep apnoea are more likely to develop it themselves
  • Menopause – changes in hormones in women can also lead to sleep apnoea
  • Having a large neck

 

Although it is not always possible to prevent sleep apnoea, a number of measures can be taken to reduce the chances of developing it:

 

  • Limiting alcohol intake and avoiding it altogether in the evening
  • Not using sleeping pills or tranquilisers
  • Not smoking
  • Losing weight if you are overweight or obese

 

What could be worse than snoring?

 

Apart from disturbing anybody in the vicinity, if your snoring is a sign of sleep apnoea, it means you are more at risk of developing the following conditions:  

 

How is sleep apnoea treated?

 

Fortunately, sleep apnoea is treatable. Various treatments can help alleviate symptoms and improve quality of life for both the patient and anybody within earshot as they sleep.

  • Lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, giving up smoking (if you’re a smoker) and drinking less alcohol (if you drink excessively). Sleeping on your side may also alleviate symptoms and reduce snoring
  • A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device – prevents narrowing of throat as you sleep, and provides a continuous flow of air through a mask
  • A mandibular advancement device (MAD) – fits around your teeth like a gum shield, holding both jaw and tongue forward in order to create space at the back of the throat allowing more air to flow.

In some cases of sleep apnoea, surgery may be recommended. 

 

 

 

If you are concerned about your snoring or sleep apnoea and wish to schedule a consultation with Professor Kotecha, you can do so by visiting his Top Doctors profile. 

By Professor Bhik Kotecha
Otolaryngology / ENT

Professor Bhik Kotecha is an awarded and internationally renowned consultant ear, nose, and throat (ENT) surgeon practising in the Essex area at his private clinics. His primary focuses in his specialty are snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea. Other specialty interests of Professor Kotecha's include assessing and treating sleep-related breathing disorders, upper airway obstruction, and voice and swallowing disorders. He also treats most ENT disorders that affect children and adults. Professor Kotecha now practises at private clinics with Nuffield Health, Spire, Harley Street, and Westland Medical Centre.

After receiving his medical qualification in 1984 from the University of Wales, Professor Kotecha went on to further his training at prominent hospitals such as the Great Ormond Street Hospital, Hope Hospital, The Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, and The Royal National Throat, Nose, and Ear Hospital. It was at these institutions he completed is training as a registrar and senior registrar.

In 1995, Professor Kotecha was first appointed as a consultant ENT surgeon. His passion in his field later resulted in Professor Kotecha and his team at The Royal National Throat, Nose, and Ear Hospital receiving the Hospital Doctor Award in the 'Sleep Medicine Team of the Year' category. Over the years practising, Professor Kotecha has been the recipient of various awards, representing his efforts and strides to have an impact on otolaryngology.

Professor Kotecha began having a desire to teach quite earlier on in his career, starting by teaching anatomy to medical and dental students and an anatomy demonstrator at the University of Liverpool. He has since held various medical education roles, but most prominently as an honorary senior lecturer and now his latest role as an honorary clinical professor at Barts and the London School of Medicine.

Not only has Professor Kotecha been published more than 100 times in peer-reviewed journals, has had chapters published, has published textbooks, and lectured nationally and internationally, but he has also appeared on television interviews and in popular papers. Bringing awareness to obstructive sleep apnoea and other sleep-related breathing disorders, he has been a guest with programmes and channels such as BBC Breakfast, BBC World, Anglian TV, The Discovery Channel, GMTV, BBC Radio 4, and other radio programmes. Professor Kotecha's articles have also been released in The Sunday Mail and Healthcare Innovations.

You can also click here to read more about Professor Kotecha.

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