Occupational health
Strategies, services and advice to help keep your employees healthy and your workspaces safe.
Waking Up to the Effects of Sleep Apnoea
In anticipation of our upcoming Webinar on 12th June 2025, we’re taking a look at an emerging condition effecting workers across the world. Though many may have heard of the name, few know the details surrounding the causes and consequences of Sleep Apnoea.
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Sleep Apnoea is a common breathing disorder that continues to rise worldwide, particularly in middle-aged and elderly individuals. It can have a detrimental effect on the health and lifestyle of the afflicted, and untreated, it can become even more severe.
Now a serious issue for millions, understanding the symptoms and treatment behind the illness is critical for organisations and communities. Recognising the signs of Sleep Apnoea offers room to manage it and help improve your long-term health.
What is Sleep Apnoea?
Sleep Apnoea is a condition which causes the airways to narrow or collapse during sleep. It forces breathing to stop and start while you sleep. The most common type is called Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA).
In this condition, muscles in the throat and neck relax, causing narrowing or complete closure of the pharyngeal airway and due to this, the individual stops breathing. People with Sleep Apnoea have reductions or pauses in breathing for brief periods while sleeping. Although these lapses cause a person to awaken periodically, sleepers may not fully wake up and remain unaware that their breathing is abnormal at night. There are a variety of symptoms associated with the syndrome.
In addition to this, there are a variety of conditions or traits which put individuals at a higher risk than others. These can include common traits such as family history, smoking, Obesity, type 2 diabetes, and an underactive thyroid to more obscure traits such as a small lower jaw, large tonsils, nasal blockage, and an increased neck circumference (40.6 cm or more).
Individuals with or without these high-risk factors need to observe if any symptoms of Sleep Apnoea are present. It is just as important for organisations to be aware of these symptoms in their employees and take steps to manage their long-term health.
The Consequences of Sleep Apnoea
Sleep Apnoea can have a severe impact on an individual’s quality of life and, if left untreated, can lead to potentially serious health consequences such as excessive daytime sleepiness, and impaired cognitive function. Furthermore, low oxygen intake levels are also associated with an increased risk of serious health conditions. Sleep Apnoea is present with several associated conditions. We’ll be explain more about this in our Webinar.
Sleep Apnoea has several occupational risks, impairing the workplace performance and productivity of employees across the UK. This in turn increases the risk of errors and accidents in sensitive workplaces. Accidents such as the Road Traffic Crash in Oxfordshire in 2006, the M26 Crash in Kent in 2020 and the Doncaster Rail Crash in 2022 were all linked to individuals with Sleep Apnoea.
It’s critical to see a doctor if you think you may be at risk for Sleep Apnoea. It ensures that you can get the necessary testing and treatment to manage the condition.
Rising Cases
An estimated 4 million people have Obstructive Sleep Apnoea. (Sleep Apnoea Trust, 2020) Though the disease is common, many of the statistics reporting those afflicted by the disease have been under-estimated or undiagnosed. According to NICE, this number may be as high as 2.5 million.
A recent study in the Journal of Sleep Medicine estimates a prevalence of 24% in females and 47% in males among a 45-to-65-year age group.
Tackling Sleep Apnoea
RPS, a Tetra Tech Company, Occupational Health have an extensive mix of clinical resources to support workplace health and safety in a growing and resource-scarce world. With decades of experience and a range of expertise, we offer a personalised journey for the individual from referral to screening, diagnosis and treatment.
These can include
- Managing absenteeism
- Providing Health Surveillance
- Enabling Health and wellbeing Solutions
- Supporting with Employee Assistance Programmes
We operate from clinics across the UK or directly from client sites, offering a bespoke service tailored to suit individual our clients' requirements. We can deliver consultations for occupational health in several ways, including:
- Face-to-face consultations
- Telephone appointments
- Online appointments
- Mobile screening units
Though various techniques are used for diagnosing Sleep Apnoea, RPS compile a detailed strategy for assessing the condition. This includes an Epworth Sleepiness scale, a STOP-BANG questionnaire screening for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) and a clinical assessment including consideration of risk factors and accompanying symptoms. We assess the patient's history and conduct clinical tests to enhance this information. This means also checking the Blood Pressure, neck circumference, and BMI (Body-Mass Index) of individuals.
RPS have a process for an urgent referral in the case of individuals who are repetitively tired or sleepy whilst driving or working with machinery or are employed in hazardous occupations (for example train, bus or lorry driver). NICE advises prioritising people with suspected OSAS for rapid assessment if they have a vocational driving job or a job where vigilance is critical for safety.
Some clients have their referral taken back to their GP with a request for referral to a sleep clinic where a more detailed sleep study. These sleep studies measure oxygen saturation, heart rate, breathing patterns, snoring, body position, brain activity, eye movements, muscle tone and more.
Treatment and Management
Once diagnosed, RPS enable a series of implementations within the personalised strategy to manage the condition. These include;
- Lifestyle advice relating to weight loss, exercise, sleeping positions, smoking cessation, drugs and alcohol.
- Mandibular advancement devices
- Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)
- Positional treatment devices
- Liaison with treating physician/sleep clinic to ensure ongoing effective treatment
- Continuous positive airway pressure treatment
- Regular Occupational Health review.
All these can have a massively positive effect on employees and their well-being, effectively helping them manage their conditions and return to their lives.
Benefits of Treatment
The treatment of Sleep Apnoea can reduce symptoms, improve quality of life, reduce complications, and decrease mortality. This means a reduction in workplace accidents, absenteeism, blood pressure strokes and cardiovascular events and an increase in productivity, quality of life mood and survival rates.
Occupational Health can provide support in reducing these costs and putting the health and well-being of your workforce at the forefront. With deep expertise founded on over 20 years of experience, we work in partnership with you to develop a strategy that demonstrates your commitment to employee well-being; in turn, reducing productivity downtime through staff turnover or employee absence.
If you think you might be at risk for Sleep Apnoea, or wish to effectively manage your condition, you can learn more in our Webinar on 12th June 2025
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