What is sleep apnoea, the sleep disorder Roman Kemp has been diagnosed with?

The radio host said the condition causes ‘debilitating’ levels of tiredness

Roman Kemp attends the Vanity Fair EE Rising Star Party at 180 The Strand (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

Roman Kemp has been diagnosed with sleep apnoea, a disorder that causes a person’s breathing to stop and start while they are asleep.

The Capital Breakfast host, who will lead live coverage of the BBC’s Platinum Party at the Palace for the Queen’s jubilee this weekend, revealed his diagnosis in a new interview.

Kemp, 29, said the condition was “rubbish” and had caused “debilitating” levels of tiredness.

But what is sleep apnoea and how do you treat it?

What are the main symptoms of sleep apnoea?

Sleep apnoea is a sleep disorder and symptoms usually occur while a person is asleep. The most common type of this disorder is called obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA).

The main symptoms include breathing that stops and starts, making gasping, snorting or choking noises, waking up often and snoring loudly.

According to the NHS, people who suffer from sleep apnoea may find themselves feeling very tired during the day, having difficulty with concentration, mood swings and experiencing headaches when you wake up.

However, it can be hard to tell if you have sleep apnoea if you live alone. The health service recommends asking someone to stay with you while you sleep so they can check for the symptoms.

What triggers sleep apnoea?

Kemp said he was told by his doctors that his disorder was a result of his job.

While there is no direct correlation between stress and sleep apnoea, the Anxiety and Depression Association of America says that stress and anxiety “may cause sleeping problems or make existing problems worse”.

Sleep apnoea occurs when your airways become too narrow while you sleep, which stops you from breathing properly.

The condition has been linked to obesity, getting older, having other family members with sleep apnoea, smoking or drinking alcohol, having large tonsils and sleeping on your back.

How is sleep apnoea treated?

Many people who suffer from sleep apnoea need to use a device called a CPAP machine, which gently pumps air into a mask you wear over your mouth and nose while you sleep.

Kemp said he has been told to wear an “oxygen mask”, which may give any potential partners a “Darth Vader impression into an oxygen tank”.

The CPAP machine helps to improve your breathing by stopping your airway from getting too narrow.

This in turn can improve the quality of your sleep and reduce the risk of problems linked to sleep apnoea.

You can also use a device that holds your airways open while you sleep or get surgery to help your breathing, but the NHS warns that these treatments “may not work as well as a CPAP machine”, which you can get for free on the NHS if you need it.

There is no cure for sleep apnoea, but using the machine and making some lifestyle changes such as losing weight can reduce symptoms.

What happens if sleep apnoea is left untreated?

Without treatment, the condition can lead to a number of health problems, such as high blood pressure and a higher chance of having a stroke.

It can also cause depression or changes in your mood.

Tiredness caused by sleep apnoea can also put you at higher risk of having a serious accident and having increased difficulty concentrating at work or school.