Sleep apnoea (NHS)

Tier 1: Established: peer-reviewed research or government health authority
Publisher: National Health Service · Published: August 6, 2026 · Accessed: August 6, 2026

Visit the source ↗

Claims this source supports

• Symptoms of sleep apnoea include breathing stopping and starting during sleep, gasping/snorting/choking noises, waking a lot, and loud snoring; daytime signs include feeling very tired, trouble concentrating, mood swings, and morning headaches.
• See a GP if your breathing stops and starts while you sleep, you make gasping/snorting/choking noises while you sleep, or you always feel very tired during the day, especially if a partner has witnessed the symptoms.
• Testing usually happens through a specialist sleep clinic, often with home devices, and severity is measured by the AHI score: 5-14 mild, 15-30 moderate, over 30 severe.
• Treatments include lifestyle changes (weight, exercise, avoiding alcohol and smoking, side sleeping) and CPAP, which gently pumps air through a mask and improves sleep quality and reduces risks like high blood pressure.
• Untreated sleep apnoea can lead to high blood pressure, higher stroke risk, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, depression or mood changes, and a higher chance of serious accidents from tiredness.
• Sleeping pills are not recommended unless prescribed by a doctor; they can make sleep apnoea worse.