Experts are busting myths surrounding a serious and 'potentially fatal' health problem which could be wreaking havoc on your sleep.
There are plenty of things that could be affecting the quality and amount of sleep you get. Whether it's assaulting your eyeballs with all that blue light from doom-scrolling TikTok, chowing down on a meal too late on in the evening or your stress levels being through the roof, there are a lot of factors that can put our sleeping routine out of whack.
But one of the most common culprits for disturbed sleep is snoring.
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There's nothing worse than trying to get to sleep with someone snoring like a chainsaw next to you or getting woken up at 3.00am to the racket of the common nighttime habit.
It can spell disaster for both the snorer and whoever they happen to share a bed with, but there could be something much more sinister going on below the surface, and experts are warning Brits to get clued-up on the so-called 'silent killer'.
The sleep buffs at medical technology company Nyxoah are raising awareness of a condition called sleep apnoea, with as many as 6.5 million Brits thought to be going to bed blissfully unaware they have the serious illness.
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According to research conducted by Nyxoah, around eight million people in the UK suffer from sleep apnoea, yet 33 percent of us don't even know what it is.
According to the NHS, sleep apnoea is a condition which causes your breathing to stop and start while you sleep, and while many mistake it just for snoring, it can cause extremely serious health complications if left undetected.
What are the symptoms of sleep apnoea?
Symptoms of the sleep problem include:
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- breathing stopping and starting
- making gasping, snorting or choking noises
- waking up a lot
- loud snoring
During the day, sleep apnoea may cause you to feel:
- feel very tired
- find it hard to concentrate
- have mood swings
- have a headache when you wake up
Despite how many people it's thought to affect, there are a lot of myths surrounding the condition, with some believing it just causes you to fall asleep during the day or struggle to nod off at night, according to the study.
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Ben Fear, UK Director for Nyxoah, warned that 'greater awareness is needed about this potentially silent killer', as he urged anyone who has noticed problems with their sleep and snoring to get tested.
“Despite its high prevalence, sleep apnoea remains largely misunderstood," he said. "When left untreated, it significantly increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, and depression and even reduces life expectancy by up to 10 years."
Meanwhile, Professor Vik Veer, one of the UK’s leading experts in sleep apnoea, said: “Millions of people may be unknowingly putting their health at risk every night.
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"If you feel tired during the day (especially before 11.00am), snore so loudly that you are heard through a closed door or wake up to pass water frequently at night (without an infection or large prostate), then you ought to consider getting checked.
“Diagnosing and treating this condition early can transform lives.”
So, how do you get tested for sleep apnoea?
If you're worried there's more to your snoring, take yourself down to your GP, who will be able to refer you to a specialist sleep clinic for tests if they think you might have the condition.
Clinics typically dish out devices for you to wear, which track things such as your breathing and heartbeat, while you're asleep
This can tell medics whether you have sleep apnoea and how severe it is based on how often your breathing stops while you sleep.
How can you treat sleep apnoea?
Luckily, there are several treatments in place for those diagnosed with sleep apnoea.
These can include a CPAP mask, which gently pumps air and into your nose and mouth while you sleep, mouth guards, surgery or implants that stimulate the tongue to move out of the way to allow you to breathe.
Basically, while frequent snoring in itself doesn't mean you suffer from sleep apnoea, it's best to get checked out to rule it out.
Chloe Rowland