Every night many of us stop breathing in our sleep. For some people this can happen many hundreds of times a night. Every time we stop breathing, known as an ‘Apnoea’, our brain instructs our body to briefly awaken. Most OSA victims have no memory of this all-night life-and-death struggle for breath. OSA robs its sufferers of restful sleep leaving them feeling ‘dog tired’ - sleepy and exhausted - during the day.

Many people including professional drivers have OSA and don’t realise it! Obstructive Sleep Apnoea is more common in men aged 30 - 65 years, though it can occur in all age groups. Current data suggests it affects an estimated 4% of males and 2% of females in the UK. Research commissioned by the Government found a fifth of motorway collisions are caused by drivers falling asleep at the wheel and one in ten crashes on all of Britain's roads - around 23,300 a year are also linked to fatigue.

Early recognition and treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea is important because it increases the risks of having an irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, heart attack and strokes.

This site is intended to explain the condition OSA, and communicate latest research, screening and treatment methods, if you feel that you show signs of the disorder it is important that you discuss these with your GP.