Obesity blamed as number of snorers seeking medical help soars by 31% in five years
- Nearly 25,000 appointments were made for snoring in hospitals last year
- Obesity has been cited as a major factor for the rising figure
The number of snorers seeking medical help has soared by nearly a third in just five years to a record level.
Hospitals have revealed that patients went for 24,329 appointments last year after being referred to consultants – almost 500 every week.
Obesity has been cited as a major factor for the figure rising 31 per cent in five years from 18,523 and more than doubling from 11,714 a decade ago.
Hospitals have reported a 31 per cent increase in the number of people seeking medical help for snoring
Being overweight is a major factor in why sleepers develop problems and the condition can worsen as the pounds pile on because fatty tissue around the neck hinders air flow.
Snoring can worsen into sleep apnoea, a more serious condition where patients have short periods when they cannot breathe. The brain wakes them so they take in more oxygen but the cumulative effect means the patient has a dreadful night’s sleep and can often drop off during the day.
It is estimated that around 15million people in the UK snore to some extent with around 180,000 going on to develop full-blown sleep apnoea.
The NHS data shows that the number of people admitted to hospital in England with sleep apnoea is also up from 8,803 ten years ago to 23,657 last year.
A worrying aspects of the trend is the rising number of children suffering the debilitating condition.
Last year, youngsters had 3,556 hospital appointments related to sleep apnoea in contrast to 2,949 five years ago and 2,143 a decade ago. Marianne Davey, director at the British Snoring & Sleep Apnoea Association, said: ‘Lifestyle factors are still the number one reason for snoring and as the nation becomes fatter, snoring and sleep apnoea will increase.
Snoring can worsen into sleep apnoea, a more serious condition where patients have short periods when they cannot breathe
‘I am not surprised that more snorers are coming forward to seek help.
‘The reasons are mainly because the public are more aware that snoring can be treated and are also aware of the consequences of not being treated.
‘Snoring has become unsociable and undesirable and people who snore are reluctant to take holidays for fear of having to share a room with other people.
‘They are also more aware of how their snoring affects their bed partner and other family members.
‘Many obese patients are resorting to bariatric surgery in the hope that they can cure their snoring and sleep apnoea. To stop this epidemic, all we can do is educate the nation on the dangers of these conditions.
‘Being a snorer will reduce your life expectancy by up to ten years.
‘The good news is everybody can stop snoring. The key to stopping snoring is to find the cause first and treat it appropriately.
‘But people should seek professional advice rather than look for a cure on the high street.’
Sleep apnoea can have a debilitating effect on a patient’s life and serious consequences.
Transport officials have said that 210 drivers had their HGV licences taken away in the last three years because of the problem.
Snoring is caused by the vibration of the soft tissue in the neck and head while inhaling. It can be triggered by being just a few pounds overweight.
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