Dr Kartik Raman
We’ve all heard it - the freight-train rumble of someone snoring beside us. It’s often laughed off or solved with a gentle nudge (or a pillow over the head). But sometimes, that noise is a red flag for something far more serious: obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). This hidden sleep disruptor affects millions and can quietly raise your risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and even car accidents from daytime fatigue.
So, what’s really happening?
With OSA, your airway repeatedly collapses during sleep, cutting off your breathing for seconds - or even over a minute - at a time. Your body jolts you awake just enough to breathe again, but you rarely remember it. The cycle can repeat hundreds of times a night, leaving you exhausted without knowing why. Classic signs include loud snoring, gasping or choking in your sleep, and relentless tiredness during the day.
Why it’s on the rise?
Experts blame a mix of factors: rising obesity rates, aging populations, and lifestyle habits that relax throat muscles, such as drinking alcohol or taking sedatives. It’s not just about feeling groggy. OSA puts serious strain on your heart and brain, messes with your mood and memory, and can slow your reaction times enough to make driving dangerous.
Who’s at risk?
Anyone can develop OSA, but it’s more common if you’re carrying extra weight, have a thick neck, a naturally narrow airway, or a family history of the condition. Men over 40 are more likely to be diagnosed, though women and even children with enlarged tonsils aren’t immune. Smoking also makes things worse.
Getting answers
If you - or your bed partner - spot the warning signs, a sleep study is the gold standard for diagnosis. This can be done in a clinic or at home, tracking your breathing, oxygen levels, and movements overnight.
The fixes that work
For some, lifestyle changes - losing weight, cutting back on alcohol, and sleeping on your side - are enough to make a big difference. But the most effective treatment is CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure), which uses gentle air pressure to keep your airway open. Other options include mouthguards that reposition your jaw and, for severe cases, surgery.
The bottom line
Snoring might be the punchline to a joke - but it can also be the clue that saves your life. If you suspect sleep apnoea, don’t ignore it. Better sleep, better health, and more energy could be just a diagnosis away.
(The writer is Endodontist and has a fellowship in Dental Sleep Apnoea, USA).