New Sleep Device Lets Woman Finally Rest After 5 Years

Catherine Turnbull spent five years waking up gasping for air, suffering headaches, and falling asleep at her desk before a tiny implant changed everything.

The Chippenham woman became one of the first UK patients to receive a hypoglossal nerve stimulation device at Great Western Hospital in Swindon. The implant gently moves her tongue forward while she sleeps, keeping her airway open and allowing her to breathe normally through the night.

"My life's just started again," Turnbull said. "I can't wait to get to bed to go to sleep now."

Sleep apnea affects thousands of people across the UK, causing breathing to stop and start repeatedly during sleep. Sufferers wake up exhausted, struggle to concentrate at work, and experience mood swings that strain relationships.

The traditional treatment requires wearing a CPAP machine that pushes air through a face mask all night. But many patients, including Turnbull, find the masks unbearable.

"I would wake up in the night trying to rip it off my face," she said. "I felt suffocated."

The new device works differently. Surgeons implant a small generator in the patient's chest, with a wire running up to the nerve controlling the tongue. Every time the patient breathes, the device activates, pushing the tongue forward to open the airway. Patients control it with a remote that looks like a computer mouse, turning it on each night before bed.

Around 125,000 people worldwide have received the treatment, mostly in Europe and the United States. Now five NHS trusts are offering it to patients with severe cases who cannot tolerate CPAP machines.

The Ripple Effect

Sam Backway, lead sleep and ventilation nurse at Great Western Hospital, said sleep apnea often goes undiagnosed for years, especially in women. Symptoms get blamed on menopause, stress, or caring for young children. Her own husband has the condition.

But the impact reaches far beyond poor sleep. Some patients stop breathing 100 times per night, experiencing dangerous drops in oxygen levels. The constant exhaustion affects their ability to work safely and drive. The loud snoring strains marriages and relationships.

For Turnbull, every aspect of her life suffered before the implant. She hopes being among the first to try the treatment "paves the way for others."

The hospital will offer the device to only a few patients monthly due to strict criteria, focusing on extreme cases where other treatments have failed. But for those who qualify, it represents a second chance at normal sleep and the energy to fully live their lives again.