The festive season is fast approaching and many of us are looking forward to a few days off work to spend quality time with friends and family. This Christmas, the last thing you want to be worrying about is sleep apnoea, so why not see if we can help give you a silent night?

What is sleep apnoea?

Sleep apnoea is a sleep disorder that occurs when breathing is interrupted during sleep. It is characterised by episodes that last at least 10 seconds. In severe cases, sleep apnoea can be fatal and it is important that it is carefully controlled. Even in the most minor cases, it can affect your confidence and make you feel uncomfortable, especially when you’re staying with other people or sleeping in an unfamiliar environment.

Sleep apnoea is most commonly found in people who are overweight. However, this is not the only risk factor as smoking and family history of the disorder can also increase the risk of sleep apnoea.

How we can help

Often, in milder cases, making positive lifestyle changes can have a very noticeable effect on the symptoms of sleep apnoea. We can help to provide you with information and advice about healthy eating, exercise and giving up smoking. We can also provide custom-made appliances, including mandibular advancement devices and tongue retainers, to help with snoring, one of the most common symptoms of sleep apnoea.