He said these patients would be suffering from loud intermittent 'heroic' snoring, daytime sleepiness, tiredness, morning headaches, impotence and poor physical or intellectual performance.

Body fat, which seems to be more of a problem for men than women, was the primary contributor for the condition. 'It is the fat around the throat that gives the problem. It tends to squash the throat resulting in lesser room to breathe', he said adding 'a middle aged man whose collar size is 16.5 inches or above is predisposed to snore'.

The risk factors are excessive consumption of alcohol, overeating and faulty nutrition, and lack of exercise, smoking and it is more common in people with sedentary life style.

"If you are experiencing the symptoms of excessive daytime sleepiness, a useful fist step may be to ask a partner, friend, or relative to observe you when you are asleep. They may be able to spot episodes of breathlessness that could help you to confirm a diagnosis of OSA, in rare case, aponea can be fatal, but in general it takes away the quality of life', he added.