Health experts have issued a warning as a common sleep disorder which affects millions of Britons may increase the risk of some devastating illnesses. The disorder, whose symptoms include loud snoring and frequent waking up, can lead to dementia, research shows.

They also warned that untreated obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can lead to dangerous heart problems.

THE Sleep Apnea Trust says around 10 million people in the UK are living with OSA, with four million experiencing ‘moderate’ or ‘severe’ symptoms.

OSA causes the walls of your throat to narrow while you sleep. This results in a range of symptoms such as loud snoring, frequent waking up, and sounds of panting, sniffling, or choking while the person is resting.

As a result, it can also lead to daytime fatigue and difficulty concentrating. The NHS says OSA “must be treated” as it can lead to “more serious problems”.

This can include dementia, The mirror reports. A study, published in Natural communications journal in 2022, discovered a link between lack of oxygen in the brain during sleep and Alzheimer’s disease in mice.

One of the study’s authors, Professor Elizabeth Coulson from the University of Queensland, explained: “We developed a new way to cause respiratory disturbances during sleep and found that the mice showed exacerbated pathological features of Alzheimer’s disease.

“This demonstrated that hypoxia – when the brain is deprived of oxygen – caused the same selective degeneration of neurons that typically die in dementia.” Further testing should be done on humans.

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She continued: “Early human trials are underway with sleep clinicians in Brisbane and Sydney to determine the correlation between hypoxia and sustained cognitive impairment, and whether CPAP (a continuous positive airway pressure machine) respiratory tract) may reduce the risk of dementia.

“I would highly recommend that anyone with obstructive sleep apnea use a CPAP machine to maintain cognitive function, as well as to help with other health issues.”

Experts also explained a potential link between sleep apnea and heart problems. Cardiomyopathy United Kingdom states: “Sleep apnea is closely linked to heart disease, with the two conditions influencing each other’s development and severity.

“Sleep apnea can worsen existing heart conditions or increase the risk of developing them, including high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, arrhythmias, strokes and heart attacks. This condition can cause stress on the heart, trigger fluctuations in oxygen levels, and contribute to the formation of plaque in blood vessels.

“Effective management of sleep apnea is important to reduce cardiovascular risks and improve overall health outcomes. »

The NHS lists the symptoms of OSA while you sleep as follows:

• Breathing stopping and starting again
• Making panting, sniffling, or choking noises
• Wake up a lot
• Loud snoring

During the day you can also:

• I feel very tired
• I have trouble concentrating
• Having mood swings
• I have a headache when I wake up

A doctor may recommend using a device called a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine to relieve OSA. The device provides enough air pressure to keep the upper airway open through a mask used during sleep.

This can prevent both sleep apnea and snoring, which could help further reduce the risk of serious health problems. The NHS says you should speak to your GP if ‘you have any of the main symptoms of sleep apnea’.