Sleep Apnoea and Daytime Wakefulness: What You Need to Know

Understanding sleep apnoea

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a common condition in which the walls of the throat relax and narrow during sleep, briefly interrupting breathing. Each pause can last several seconds and may happen many times an hour, repeatedly disturbing sleep without the person fully waking. The result is unrefreshing sleep and, often, marked daytime sleepiness.

Common signs and symptoms

Sleep apnoea is frequently noticed by a bed partner before the person themselves. Typical features include:

• Loud snoring
• Gasping, choking or pauses in breathing during sleep
• Waking with a dry mouth or headache
• Excessive daytime sleepiness and difficulty concentrating
• Irritability or low mood

Why it affects daytime alertness

Each breathing interruption pulls a person out of deep, restorative sleep, even if they do not remember waking. Over a night this fragmentation adds up, leaving the brain short of quality rest. That is why someone may spend a full night in bed yet still feel exhausted the next day. The sleepiness can affect work, driving and overall wellbeing, and over time it can take a toll on mood, relationships and concentration.

Our insomnia explained guide looks at other reasons for poor sleep, which can sometimes coexist with apnoea.

Who is more likely to develop it?

Several factors raise the risk of obstructive sleep apnoea, including carrying excess weight, particularly around the neck, being male, increasing age, smoking and drinking alcohol close to bedtime. A family history and certain physical features of the jaw and airway can also play a part. Recognising these risk factors can help people and their doctors take poor sleep and loud snoring more seriously rather than dismissing them.

How sleep apnoea is diagnosed

A proper diagnosis is important because the daytime sleepiness it causes can be mistaken for other conditions. Assessment usually involves:

• A discussion of symptoms and risk factors
• Questionnaires measuring daytime sleepiness
• A sleep study, either at home or in a clinic, that records breathing, oxygen levels and sleep stages

Treatment options

First-line treatment

• CPAP therapy: Continuous positive airway pressure delivers a gentle, steady flow of air through a mask to keep the airway open. It is the most effective treatment for moderate to severe OSA and, used consistently, often transforms daytime alertness.
• Mandibular advancement devices: Custom-made mouthpieces that hold the jaw forward can help milder cases.

Lifestyle measures

• Reaching and maintaining a healthy weight
• Reducing alcohol, especially in the evening
• Stopping smoking
• Sleeping on your side rather than your back
• Treating nasal congestion

Where wakefulness medicines fit in

Most people find their daytime sleepiness improves once the underlying apnoea is treated effectively, usually with CPAP. In some cases, where significant sleepiness persists despite well-managed apnoea, a doctor may consider a wakefulness-promoting medicine such as modafinil as an addition. This is a controlled medicine and is never a substitute for treating the apnoea itself. It should only be used under medical supervision and after the airway problem has been addressed.

You can view related products in our sleep aids range, but the priority is always to treat the root cause first.

Why treatment matters

Untreated sleep apnoea is linked with higher blood pressure and other health risks, as well as the dangers of daytime sleepiness behind the wheel. Treating it can:

• Improve energy and concentration
• Reduce snoring and improve a partner's sleep too
• Support better long-term health

When to seek help

See your doctor if you snore loudly, have been told you stop breathing in your sleep, or feel persistently sleepy during the day despite enough time in bed. A sleep assessment can confirm the diagnosis and open the door to effective treatment. Browse our shop all range for related products, but begin with a medical assessment.

General information only — not medical advice. Always read the patient information leaflet and consult a doctor or pharmacist before starting any medication.