An ear, nose and throat surgeon has encouraged people to look out for signs of sleep apnoea that mean you should get tested for the disorder.
We've all experienced the struggles of trying to breathe when your nose gets blocked or you're suffering with a particularly painful sore throat, but sleep apnoea is a disorder in which your breathing actually stops and starts while you sleep.
The most common type is called obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), according to the NHS, and surgeon and TikToker Tonia L Farmer has shared an indication of sleep apnoea that people should look out for.
Advert
Check it out below:
The NHS explains that sleep apnoea does not always need to be treated if it's mild, however the disorder can be serious if it's not diagnosed and treated.
In her TikTok video, Dr. Farmer explains that OSA is a 'complete blockage of the airway when you sleep', meaning no air is moving, and therefore no oxygen is being taken in by the body.
Advert
Demonstrating what this can sound like, Farmer played a clip of someone concluding their snore and remaining silent and unbreathing for almost 19 seconds.
Stressing that the amount of time between breaths in the recording was 'long', Farmer encouraged anyone who knows if they sound the same when the sleep, or if they know any family members or friends who do, to get a sleep study test as it may be an indication of OSA.
Doctors may refer patients who they believe may have sleep apnoea to specialist sleep clinics for tests, where the patient may be given devices that monitor things like breathing and heartbeat while you sleep. According to the NHS, the test can show if you have sleep apnoea and how severe it is.
Advert
As well as the stop and start of breathing, other main symptoms of sleep apnoea include making 'gasping, snorting or choking noises' during sleep, and consistently feeling very tired during the day. The health service recommends seeing a GP if you experience any of the main symptoms, adding: 'If someone else has seen you have the symptoms, it can help to bring them with you.'
Farmer has been praised for helping to educate and raise awareness with her videos on TikTok, where she has amassed more than 258,000 followers. In response to her video about sleep apnoea, one person wrote: 'Thank you for making this video! Education is key so ppl [sic] can get themselves checked out for OSA before it’s too late!'
For more information about sleep apnoea, you can visit the NHS website here.
Advert
If you have a story you want to tell, send it to UNILAD via [email protected]
Emily Brown