Sleep apnoea treatment

Sleep apnoea can be serious if it's not diagnosed and treated.

Enquiries & Appointments

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What is sleep apnoea?

Sleep apnoea is a condition where;

  • your breathing is irregular and stops and starts while you sleep
  • you make gasping, snorting or choking noises while you sleep, these are different from snoring
  • you always feel very tired during the day

Sleep apnoea may also increase your risk of:

  • developing high blood pressure (hypertension)
  • having a stroke or heart attack
  • developing an irregular heartbeat
  • developing type 2 diabetes
  • being involved in a motor accident as it impacts your ability to drive

Sleep apnoea is a treatable, and there are a variety of treatment options that can reduce the symptoms. These include lifestyle changes, or wearing devices that keep your airways open.

Need to know

There are several treatment options that can reduce the symptoms of sleep apnoea. These include:

  • Lifestyle changes such as losing excess weight, cutting down on alcohol and sleeping on your side.
  • Using a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device. These devices prevent your airway closing while you sleep by delivering a continuous supply of compressed air through a mask.
  • Wearing a mandibular advancement device (MAD). This gum shield-like device fits around your teeth, holding your jaw and tongue forward to increase the space at the back of your throat while you sleep.
There are no special preparations you need to make prior to treatment.
While the symptoms of sleep apnoea can be eased, treatment will most likely need to be lifelong. If left untreated, it can have a significant impact on your quality of life, causing problems such as poor performance at work and school, and placing a strain on your relationships with others.

Sleep apnoea Consultants

Professor Paul O'Flynn

Professor Paul O'Flynn

Ear Nose & Throat Surgery (ENT/Otolaryngology)

Mr Raghav Dwivedi

Mr Raghav Dwivedi

Ear Nose & Throat Surgery (ENT/Otolaryngology)

Dr. Anita Jayadev

Dr. Anita Jayadev

Respiratory Medicine

Professor Paul Chatrath

Professor Paul Chatrath

Ear Nose & Throat Surgery (ENT/Otolaryngology)

Our Sleep apnoea locations

The Portland Hospital

The Portland Hospital

205-209 Great Portland Street W1W 5AH London
The Princess Grace Hospital

The Princess Grace Hospital

42-52 Nottingham Place W1U 5NY London
The Lister Hospital

The Lister Hospital

Chelsea Bridge Road, SW1W 8RH London
The Shard Outpatients

The Shard Outpatients

The Shard, 32 St Thomas Street SE1 9BS London
London Bridge Hospital

London Bridge Hospital

27 Tooley Street SE1 2PR London
The Wellington Hospital

The Wellington Hospital

8A Wellington Place NW8 9LE London

Patient stories

This content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.