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Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Obesity fuelling UK's sleep problems as apnoea cases soar by 214% in decade
Rising obesity is a key factor in the soaring cases of sleep apnoea in the UK, experts have said, as new data shows cases have tripled in the last decade. Analysis of NHS data in England and Wales between 2014 and 2024 revealed a sharp rise in diagnosed cases of the condition. The figures showed there were 114,640 cases reported across NHS trusts in 2014. But by 2024, this had risen to 360,070, marking a 214 per cent increase in diagnoses over the last decade. The data, obtained by The Odd Company through Freedom of Information requests, showed cases rose on average by 13.69 per cent year-on-year, with over 2 million cases diagnosed overall in the period. Sleep apnoea is a sleep disorder that causes repeated breathing interruptions during sleep. As well as resulting in ongoing tiredness, if left untreated, it can potentially cause various health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes and depression. Sleep apnoea can lead to complications if left untreated (Alamy) Dr David Garley, director of The Better Sleep Clinic, explained: 'It's a disorder of the upper airway where it repeatedly closes as you sleep. 'Your upper airway is held open by muscles, so as you fall asleep your airway naturally narrows in on itself. The first thing you find is the airflow gets turbulent, so that makes the soft structures vibrate, which is snoring. 'But with sleep apnoea, it actually closes and you have this period of not breathing. Your body will only tolerate this for a period of time before it actually has to wake you up and pull you back from the deep state of sleep, into a shallow state or completely awake. So you get really fragmented, poor quality sleep.' He said one of the main factors in sleep apnoea is obesity, which is also on the rise in the UK. One of the main factors in sleep apnoea is obesity, which is also on the rise in the UK (Alamy/PA) 'Anyone can get sleep apnoea, but the biggest risk factors are age and carrying extra weight - and both of these factors are increasing in the UK and that's why obstructive sleep apnoea is on the increase,' he told The Independent. 'What you're looking at is the collapsibility of the upper airway, so this happens because the muscles relax as you fall asleep. If you've got more weight around your neck, it just pushes in a bit more. 'Menopause is another risk factor. That's often to do with the redistribution of weight in the body as you go through that transition, so you tend to get a bit more around that area which pushes in.' He added that 85 per cent of people who have sleep apnoea are undiagnosed due to the difficulties in knowing whether they are displaying symptoms. Some of the rise in diagnoses could also be thanks to an increase in awareness of the condition. Symptoms of sleep apnoea According to the NHS Symptoms of sleep apnoea mainly happen while you sleep. They include: Breathing stopping and starting Making gasping, snorting or choking noises Waking up a lot Loud snoring During the day, you may also: Feel very tired Find it hard to concentrate Have mood swings Have a headache when you wake up He said: 'Hopefully some of it is because we're eating into that 85 per cent, but inevitably it's because more people will have sleep apnoea. 'Some of the increase is because of awareness, and others is because undeniably there are more old people and obesity is a bigger issue.' According to the NHS, sleep apnoea can sometimes be treated by making lifestyle changes like losing weight, giving up smoking and reducing alcohol consumption. According to the NHS, sleep apnoea can sometimes be treated by making lifestyle changes like losing weight, giving up smoking and reducing how much alcohol you drink (Alamy/PA) But many people need to use a device called a CPAP machine, which gently pumps air into a mask worn over the mouth or nose during sleep. The government is planning a wave of new measures to reduce levels of obesity, after the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities estimated that more than a quarter of the English population is now obese. Rates of obesity have doubled since the 1990s, costing the NHS an estimated £11 billion a year, which is three times the annual budget for the ambulance services. Health secretary Wes Streeting has warned that, unless the 'rising tide of cost and demand' is curbed, the NHS 'risks becoming unsustainable'. Ministers are also planning regulations for restaurants to monitor diners' calorie intake and drive it down further.
The Independent
18-07-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Obesity fuelling UK's sleep problems as apnoea cases soar by 214% in decade
Rising obesity is a key factor in the soaring cases of sleep apnoea in the UK, experts have said, as new data shows cases have tripled in the last decade. Analysis of NHS data in England and Wales between 2014 and 2024 revealed a sharp rise in diagnosed cases of the condition. The figures showed there were 114,640 cases reported across NHS trusts in 2014. But by 2024, this had risen to 360,070, marking a 214 per cent increase in diagnoses over the last decade. The data, obtained by The Odd Company through Freedom of Information requests, showed cases rose on average by 13.69 per cent year-on-year, with over 2 million cases diagnosed overall in the period. Sleep apnoea is a sleep disorder that causes repeated breathing interruptions during sleep. As well as resulting in ongoing tiredness, if left untreated, it can potentially cause various health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes and depression. Dr David Garley, director of The Better Sleep Clinic, explained: 'It's a disorder of the upper airway where it repeatedly closes as you sleep. 'Your upper airway is held open by muscles, so as you fall asleep your airway naturally narrows in on itself. The first thing you find is the airflow gets turbulent, so that makes the soft structures vibrate, which is snoring. 'But with sleep apnoea, it actually closes and you have this period of not breathing. Your body will only tolerate this for a period of time before it actually has to wake you up and pull you back from the deep state of sleep, into a shallow state or completely awake. So you get really fragmented, poor quality sleep.' He said one of the main factors in sleep apnoea is obesity, which is also on the rise in the UK. 'Anyone can get sleep apnoea, but the biggest risk factors are age and carrying extra weight - and both of these factors are increasing in the UK and that's why obstructive sleep apnoea is on the increase,' he told The Independent. 'What you're looking at is the collapsibility of the upper airway, so this happens because the muscles relax as you fall asleep. If you've got more weight around your neck, it just pushes in a bit more. 'Menopause is another risk factor. That's often to do with the redistribution of weight in the body as you go through that transition, so you tend to get a bit more around that area which pushes in.' He added that 85 per cent of people who have sleep apnoea are undiagnosed due to the difficulties in knowing whether they are displaying symptoms. Some of the rise in diagnoses could also be thanks to an increase in awareness of the condition. Symptoms of sleep apnoea According to the NHS He said: 'Hopefully some of it is because we're eating into that 85 per cent, but inevitably it's because more people will have sleep apnoea. 'Some of the increase is because of awareness, and others is because undeniably there are more old people and obesity is a bigger issue.' According to the NHS, sleep apnoea can sometimes be treated by making lifestyle changes like losing weight, giving up smoking and reducing alcohol consumption. But many people need to use a device called a CPAP machine, which gently pumps air into a mask worn over the mouth or nose during sleep. The government is planning a wave of new measures to reduce levels of obesity, after the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities estimated that more than a quarter of the English population is now obese. Rates of obesity have doubled since the 1990s, costing the NHS an estimated £11 billion a year, which is three times the annual budget for the ambulance services. Health secretary Wes Streeting has warned that, unless the 'rising tide of cost and demand' is curbed, the NHS 'risks becoming unsustainable'. Ministers are also planning regulations for restaurants to monitor diners' calorie intake and drive it down further.
Daily Mail
27-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Does cheese before bed really give you nightmares? A study FINALLY settles the debate
If the old wives' tale is anything to be believed, those who want a peaceful nights' sleep shouldn't tuck into cheese and biscuits right before bed. But is there any truth to the myth? A study has finally settled the debate on whether cheese gives you nightmares. And the findings might make you think twice about your late evening snack choice. The research, carried out by luxury sleep brand The Odd Company, involved recruiting 30 participants who dined on four of the UK's most popular cheeses – brie, cheddar, stilton and mozzarella – over four nights. They discovered that eating cheese before bed increased the likelihood of nightmares by 93 per cent. Participants reported that their dreams took a darker, more stressful and often frightening turn after eating cheese, the experts found. They described vivid and often unsettling dreams that included being cheated on, bumping into an ex, being forgotten on a birthday, friends under attack from flying robots and being scolded by a teacher at a salsa class. The worst cheese for nightmares was found to be brie. It triggered nightmares in 68 per cent of people who ate it, compared to 63 per cent for stilton, 56 per cent for cheddar and 40 per cent for mozzarella. The study also revealed that consuming cheese before bed led to half of participants losing an average of one hour and seven minutes of sleep per night. Analysis revealed women lost around five minutes more sleep, on average, than men. Amie Alexander, a registered dietitian at Nutri Peak, said: 'Cheese can affect the quality and quantity of sleep based on its nutritional composition. 'It contains saturated fats and protein, which take a long time to digest and can raise body temperature. 'If your digestive system is still working hours later after snacking on cheese at midnight, it will prevent your body from reaching deep, restorative levels of sleep.' She explained that another route possibly linking cheese to dreams is that it contains tryptophan. This is an amino acid involved in the synthesis of serotonin and melatonin - neurotransmitters responsible for mood, sleep, and internal body clock regulation. High levels of serotonin may influence REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, during which the most vivid dreaming occurs. 'Cheese contains tyramine, particularly in aged cheeses like Parmesan, Gouda, and Roquefort,' Ms Alexander added. 'Tyramine is said to induce the release of norepinephrine, a stimulant that can increase activity in the heart and brain. 'This could lead to more intense dreams or more awakenings during REM stages in sensitive people, with the possible subsequent remembering of unpleasant or vivid dreams.' According to the Mayo Clinic artisan, handmade, or aged cheeses tend to be high in tyramine. Cheddar and Stilton contain particularly high levels due to their aging processes, while Brie also ranks relatively high in tyramine content. Mozzarella, on the other hand, is a fresh, non-aged cheese typically made from pasteurised milk, meaning it contains significantly lower levels of tyramine. This might help explain why mozzarella ranks lowest for nightmares. Commenting on the findings Andrew Seed, managing director at The Odd Company, said: 'For all the cheese-lovers out there, we'd recommend enjoying your cheeseboard at least two to four hours before sleeping.' A previous study, carried out by the British Cheese Board, indicated that cheese could actually aid sleep. The research, which involved 200 volunteers in a week-long experiment, found that after eating a 20g piece of cheese 30 minutes before going to sleep, 72 per cent of the volunteers slept very well every night. The findings showed that none of the participants reported nightmares. Dr Judith Bryans, a nutrition scientist at The Dairy Council at the time, said: 'One of the amino acids in cheese - tryptophan - has been shown to reduce stress and induce sleep so cheese may actually help you have a good night's sleep.' HOW TO COPE WITH SLEEP PROBLEMS Poor sleep can lead to worrying and worrying can lead to poor sleep, according to the mental-health charity Mind. A lack of shut eye is considered a problem when it impacts on a person's daily life. As a result, they may feel anxious if they believe lack of sleep prevents them from rationalising their thoughts. Insomnia is also associated with depression, psychosis and PTSD. Establishing a sleep routine where you go to bed and get up at the same time every day can help a person spend less time in bed and more time asleep. Calming music, breathing exercises, visualising pleasant memories and meditation also encourage shut eye. Having tech-free time an hour or so before bed can also prepare you for sleep. If you still struggle to nod off, keeping a sleep diary where you record the hours you spend asleep and the quality of your shut eye on a scale of one to five can be a good thing to show your doctor. Also note how many times you wake in the night, if you need to nap, if you have nightmares, your diet and your general mood. Sleep problems can be a sign of an underlying physical condition, like pain. Talking therapies can help your recongise unhelpful thought patterns that might affect sleep. While medication, such as sleeping pills, can help break short periods of insomnia and help you return to better a sleeping pattern.
Daily Record
26-04-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Exact temperature to wash bedding and banish bed bugs as cases soar in May
Many houseproud Brits work hard to ensure that their homes are gleaming and germ-free. But one area that even the cleanest of people tend to miss or overlook is their mattresses. Households should be cleaning their mattresses every six months. This helps prevent a build-up of bacteria , germs and the words nobody wants to hear - bed bugs. According to research by The Odd Company , Google searches for 'bed bug bites' begin to rise in May, with the highest levels in June, July and August. With more than 55,000 Google searches for 'bed bug bites' in the UK in the last month, it's clear that these parasites are becoming a common issue for many homeowners . Andrew Seed, Managing Director at The Odd Company shared advice on how people can spot these horrible creatures in the home and actionable steps to remove them. He said: " Bed bugs can be found in various places around the home, however, since they often feed on your blood while you sleep, they are usually found on bed frames, mattresses and bedding. "Not only are they unpleasant, but over time they can also damage your bedding and furniture.' 'According to the NHS , the warning signs of a bed bug infestation can include bites which will often show where your skin has been exposed during sleep (such as face, arms, neck), spots of blood on the bedding which can be caused by the bugs being crushed during sleep and small brown spots which can signal bed bug faeces.' "While bed bug bites can cause itching and painful swelling, these bites don't typically cause any other health problems or major causes for concern." If you do notice signs of bed bugs, Andrew said you should act fast to banish the problem. He added: "For those who may have just discovered an infestation in the home, the first thing that will come to mind is how to remove them and remove them - fast. 'A purge is essential in this situation. To kill any bacteria and eggs that may not appear to the naked eye, I would recommend stripping the bedding (including the mattress protector) and machine washing at 60 degrees." Join the Daily Record's WhatsApp community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. Andrew said the temperature at which you wash your bedding is important as any lower may not be able to completely kill bacteria. He added: "While typically not best for your mattress protector to be washed at 60 degrees, the best option in this case is to wash at this heat or replace the protector entirely. "To prevent any reinfestation, hoovering your room regularly can massively reduce the risk of regrowth, as well as aiming to reduce unnecessary clutter in the room. Having less clutter can also make it easier to identify and treat any potential bed bugs before they can turn into a proper infestation in future." "Due to bacteria growth, it is typically advised to wash your bedsheets once a week to maintain freshness. During your weekly clean, brushing your mattress with a soft brush can help to remove build-ups of dust and dirt. 'These simple yet effective methods can prevent future outbreaks of bed bugs, allowing you the opportunity to sleep with ease."
