MORE of Swindon's sleepless are seeking support for a condition that can leaves sufferers asleep at their desk.

Nurse Sam Backway, who runs the sleep clinic at the Great Western Hospital, says that more and more people are being referred to the clinic each year with devastating sleep apnoea.

The condition causes the muscles around the neck to tighten while sufferers are asleep, cutting off people's breathing and jolting them half awake.

"We have got some patients who almost wake hundreds of times during the night," said Sam, a nurse of more than 30 years.

"Our patients are generally very tired. It affects their jobs, their livelihoods. They could be driving and fall asleep at the wheel of the car."

While being overweight is a risk factor in developing the condition, only around half of Sam's patients are overweight. The condition affects men more than women.

Sam said: "We are seeing an increase in the number of patients, but I think that's because people are more aware of it."

Anyone worried that they suffer from sleep apnoea should visit their GP. Sam recommends people take along a video recording of themselves asleep to make diagnosis easier.

On Saturday, Sam and fellow GWH sleep specialists spoke to more than 100 people at the hospital's annual sleep apnoea day.

The event raised more than £1,100 for the GWH clinic. Sam said: "It goes back to the sleep service. We're always looking to buy monitoring or diagnostic equipment."

What are the symptoms of sleep apnoea?

You'll need a family member or friend to watch what happens while you are asleep. The main symptoms are:

  • Loud snoring

  • Noisy or laboured breathing

  • Short periods where breathing is interrupted by gasping sounds

The condition can leave you feeling very tired.

What to do if you're worried you have sleep apnoea?

Your first port of call should be the GP. Nurse Sam Backway said it can help to diagnose if you have a video showing you sleeping.

The GP will refer you to the GWH's sleep clinic.

How is sleep apnoea treated?

There are a range of treatments. There are three main options:

  • Lifestyle changes. The condition can be exacerbated by things like being overweight or drinking too much. Improving your diet or sleeping on your side can help.

  • Wearing an air mask at night. Nurses might give you a continuous positive airway pressure device. This stops your airway from closing while you sleep, pumping air through a mask.

  • Slipping on a gum shield when you get into bed. A mandibular advancement device fits around your teeth like a gum shield. It's designed to increase the space at the back of your throat while you sleep by holding your jaw and tongue forward.

Will going to the doctor for treatment put my driving licence at risk?

Sam Backway says fear of losing their licence is a major reason why people do not get help for sleep apnoea. She said: "We say to our patients that everybody has got a responsibility to make sure they are fit to drive. We've never had anyone lose their licence over it. Once they're on treatment they're safe to drive."

For more about sleep apnoea visit: www.nhs.uk.