Sleep Apnoea
Repeated closure of the upper airway during sleep, causing breathing pauses and fragmented sleep.
Last revised
Key takeaways
- Definition of an apnoea: breathing stops for 10 seconds or more
- Classic triad: loud snoring, witnessed pauses, daytime sleepiness
- Most useful single change: Ask whoever sleeps near you whether you stop breathing or gasp.
- Commonest mistake: Driving when sleepy, or ignoring falling asleep during the day.
- See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to get help" below apply to you.
Why it matters
It is strongly associated with resistant high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation and road traffic collisions, and is substantially underdiagnosed.
The numbers, in one place
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Definition of an apnoea | breathing stops for 10 seconds or more |
| Classic triad | loud snoring, witnessed pauses, daytime sleepiness |
| Standard treatment, moderate to severe | CPAP |
| Diagnosis | a sleep study, often at home |
| Legal duty in the UK | inform the DVLA if sleepiness affects driving |
What helps
- Ask whoever sleeps near you whether you stop breathing or gasp
- Try side sleeping and reducing evening alcohol while awaiting assessment
- Persist with CPAP through the first difficult fortnight
- Treat weight loss and nasal obstruction as part of the picture
What to avoid
- Driving when sleepy, or ignoring falling asleep during the day
- Anti-snoring gadgets as a substitute for assessment if you have pauses
- Alcohol or sedatives at night, which worsen airway collapse
Where to go next
- Popular Beliefs About Sleep Apnoea, and What Is Actually Published
- New to Sleep Apnoea? Start Here
- Caffeine and Sleep: Sorting the Evidence From the Noise
- Shift Work and Sleep: Sorting the Evidence From the Noise
When to get help
See a GP if you snore loudly and wake unrefreshed, if anyone has seen you stop breathing or gasp, or if you fall asleep involuntarily during the day. Do not drive while excessively sleepy, and in the UK you must tell the DVLA about a condition causing excessive daytime sleepiness.
Where this comes from
How this page was put together
Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarised or generalised beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to a GP, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 999.