For many of the UK's 8 million sleep apnoea sufferers (and their partners) the CPAP machine is a noisy and uncomfortable nightly horror. But many don't know about these simple, life-changing alternatives. And you can get them on the NHS

‘For people with mild sleep apnoea, that often means their readings go back to normal, and they feel less sleepy during the day.’ There is now a major sleep apnoea trial under way to test the device in NHS patients. Nerve implantsFor severe sleep apnoea (when people stop breathing more than 30 times an hour), another option is a small battery-operated device inserted under the skin in the upper chest. Aimed at adults with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnoea, Genio was fitted to the first two NHS patients in December 2024. But in many patients, sleep apnoea is linked to the shape of the jaw or throat, or the muscles that relax at night, so weight loss alone may not be enough.