Sleep Apnoea, Snoring & Jaw Shape : The Silent Crisis Ruining Our Health

takeaways

1. Up to around 10 million people in the UK are estimated to have sleep apnoea, and many don't know they have it, with the average wait from GP to diagnosis and treatment cited as 18 months to 2 years.

2. Snoring is caused by soft tissues in the airway vibrating, while sleep apnoea is when the airway periodically collapses and oxygen drops — repeatedly triggering microarousals and a fight-or-flight response overnight.

3. Chronic untreated sleep apnoea was linked in the discussion to cardiovascular disease, heart failure, atherosclerosis, insulin resistance and diabetes, with the root cause often going unnoticed.

4. Jaw structure (such as a set-back lower jaw) can contribute to airway collapse; treatment options discussed included CPAP machines and dentist-prescribed mandibular advancement mouthguards, with surgery for severe cases.

5. Over-the-counter wearables can show personal sleep trends but are not approved to diagnose sleep apnoea — an overnight sleep test interpreted by a specialist is needed.

6. The guest questioned whether supplements, mouth tape and sleeping tablets are cures, warning about tolerance and dependence, and emphasised addressing root causes and sleep hygiene basics.

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