Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) affects around 3% of the population in the UK alone, and is considered to be responsible for up to 20% of road traffic accidents*. Those most at risk of being diagnosed with the condition are overweight, middle-aged men. Unfortunately, due to spending hours behind a wheel each day, professional fleet drivers find themselves at an increased risk of suffering from sleep apnoea.

OSA affects breathing due to a partial or total closure of your airway behind the tongue while you’re sleeping. This results in episodes of brief awakening to restore normal breathing. In severe cases this can be hundreds of times a night, but on most occasions you will be completely unaware this is taking place.

It can be extremely difficult to recognise that you suffer from sleep apnoea due to the fact that the most noticeable symptoms take place while you are asleep. However, your partner may have noticed you consistently snore or you stopping breathing during the night. It’s imperative you do not ignore these signs as they could be a symptom of OSA.

For mild snorers, lifestyle changes such as weight loss or off-the-shelf solutions may help, but persistent loud snoring should be taken seriously and investigated further by a doctor as you may have a more serious problem that requires treatment. Other symptoms include excessive daytime sleepiness, waking with a dry mouth/sore throat, difficulty concentrating, irritability, high blood pressure and depression.

If you think you are suffering from sleep apnoea you should make an appointment to see your doctor and mention your symptoms. Your doctor will refer you to a sleep clinic to confirm your diagnosis. If you are a commercial driver, mention this too so that your treatment can be fast-tracked where possible.

Once diagnosed; you will need to notify your relevant driving licence authorities and your employer. There is a common misconception that this will mean that you will lose your licence. This simply isn’t the case. You may have to stop driving for a very brief period. Since there is a quick and effective remedy, this diagnosis does not mean the end of your driving career. Every case is different, and you will need to follow the advice of your doctor, but once you are successfully treated, and this has been confirmed by the sleep clinic, you should be able to resume driving normally and will be much safer on the roads.

Beccy Mullins, head of Patient Services at ResMed and registered sleep nurse, says: 'Sleep apnoea is a serious condition that often goes unrecognised but is easily treated. Many sleep centres will, where possible, fast track those who drive for a living, ensuring treatment is commenced quickly and successfully so as to have minimum impact on their career.'

So how is sleep apnoea treated? If you are diagnosed, you will most likely be prescribed Continuous Positive Airway Pressure treatment. This is usually referred to as CPAP and involves wearing a mask at night, connected to a small CPAP device which delivers a stream of air whilst you sleep, keeping your airway open, and ensuring a healthy night’s sleep.

Most importantly, the signs and symptoms of OSA need to be recognised initially so that the driver can move on to be diagnosed and treated. This will restore energy, improve quality of life, and prevent serious illness in the future.

If you are concerned about sleep apnoea symptoms, diagnosis and treatment visit: www.realsleep.co.uk for more information.