Many of us can wake up feeling like we haven't had a good night's sleep. Despite an early bedtime it can feel like no time at all when the alarm goes off. But for millions there could be a very serious reason as it could be a sign of a potentially life-threatening illness.
Sleep apnoea is when your breathing stops and starts while you sleep. The most common type is obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). This is a relatively common condition where the walls of the throat relax and narrow or close during sleep, interrupting normal breathing which can mean regularly broken sleep.
If you have it experts say it is essential for it to be treated because it can lead to more serious problems. These include high blood pressure, an increased risk of stroke, diabetes and depression, according to the NHS . It can also lead to a higher chance of having a serious accident caused by tiredness, such as a car accident as well as difficulty concentrating at work or school.
But as the condition strikes at night it can be difficult to spot. The NHS says to discover if you have sleep apnoea it might help to ask someone to stay with you while you sleep so they can check for the symptoms, reports Surrey Live . According to the Sleep Apnoea Trust , there are an estimated 10 million people with a form of the condition.
And they say it is essential to get help if you thing you have it. They explained: "You stop breathing frequently when you are asleep. It happens many times every hour.
"But you do not hear y.