Sleep apnoea

Sleep apnoea causes abnormal breathing patterns during the night which can affect the quality of your sleep.

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About sleep apnoea

There are two distinct types of sleep apnoea, Central Sleep Apnoea (CSA) and Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA). The difference between the two, is that CSA is caused by the brain not sending proper signals to the muscles that control your breathing during sleep whereas OSA is caused by the upper airways being obstructed. Obstructive sleep apnea is more common than central sleep apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnoea

OSA is a common sleep disorder in which your breathing temporarily pauses during sleep due to partial or full collapse of the upper airways. These pauses in breathing interrupt your sleep, leading to many awakenings each hour. Some people may be aware of these pauses and may awaken with a feeling of gasping or feeling unable to breathe. However most people with sleep apnoea don’t remember these awakenings, they might feel exhausted during the day, irritable and depressed, or see a decrease in productivity.

Symptoms of sleep apnoea include:

  • Loud, chronic snoring
  • Frequent pauses in breathing during sleep
  • Gasping, snorting, or choking during sleep
  • Feeling exhausted after waking and sleepy during the day, no matter how much time you spent in bed
  • Waking up with shortness of breath, chest pains, headaches, nasal congestion, or a dry throat

Our Sleep apnoea consultants

Dr Oliver Guttmann

Dr Oliver Guttmann

Cardiology

Mr Christian Brown

Mr Christian Brown

Urology

Mr Tev Aho

Mr Tev Aho

Urology

Dr Oliver Segal

Dr Oliver Segal

Cardiology

Our Sleep apnoea locations

The Shard Outpatients

The Shard Outpatients

The Shard, 32 St Thomas Street SE1 9BS 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.