Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea treatment in Singapore
Obstructive sleep apnea is treatable, and for most people it is treatable from home. This guide compares every option available in Singapore — CPAP, oral appliances, weight and positional therapy, and ENT surgery — and shows you the shortest path from suspicion to a confirmed diagnosis to therapy that is actually working.
The options
Treatments compared
There is no single right answer — the best treatment depends on how severe your apnea is, where your airway collapses and what you will actually use every night.
CPAP therapy
Best for: Moderate to severe OSA, and mild OSA with daytime symptoms
The first-line treatment worldwide. A small machine delivers gently pressurised air through a mask so the airway stays open all night. Auto-adjusting (APAP) machines change pressure breath by breath, which most people tolerate far better than older fixed-pressure units.
Mandibular advancement device (oral appliance)
Best for: Mild to moderate OSA, or people who cannot tolerate CPAP
A custom dental device holds the lower jaw slightly forward to keep the airway open. Fitted by a dentist with sleep training. Less effective than CPAP on severe OSA, but adherence is often higher.
Weight and lifestyle change
Best for: Everyone, as an adjunct — rarely enough on its own for moderate or severe OSA
Weight loss, avoiding alcohol before bed, treating nasal congestion and side-sleeping all reduce airway collapse. Positional therapy helps the subset of people whose apnea only happens on their back.
Surgery (ENT)
Best for: Anatomical obstruction, or failure of CPAP and oral appliances
Options range from nasal surgery and tonsillectomy to soft-palate procedures and maxillomandibular advancement. Assessed by an ENT surgeon after a sleep study, often with drug-induced sleep endoscopy.
Severity
What treatment matches your AHI
AHI is the number of times per hour your breathing stops or becomes shallow. A sleep test gives you this number — everything else is guesswork.
| Severity | AHI | Usual treatment plan |
|---|---|---|
| Mild OSA | AHI 5–15 | Lifestyle changes, positional therapy or an oral appliance. CPAP if you have daytime sleepiness, high blood pressure or a demanding driving job. |
| Moderate OSA | AHI 15–30 | CPAP is first-line. An oral appliance is a reasonable alternative if CPAP genuinely cannot be tolerated after a proper fitting. |
| Severe OSA | AHI over 30 | CPAP, with follow-up on therapy data. Untreated severe OSA carries the highest cardiovascular and accident risk, so treatment should not be delayed. |
Your pathway
From suspicion to treatment that works
1. Screen in 2 minutes
Take the free STOP-BANG based screening to see whether your risk of obstructive sleep apnea is low, intermediate or high.
Start the free screening2. Confirm with a home sleep test
A diagnosis needs measurement, not a guess. We deliver a home sleep test to your door, you sleep in your own bed, and a specialist report comes back with your AHI and oxygen desaturation.
See how the home sleep test works3. Start treatment and prove it works
If CPAP is right for you, we set the machine up at your home, fit the mask properly and then review your first nights of therapy data — AHI, leak and usage — and adjust anything uncomfortable.
See CPAP machines and pricesWhy treating OSA matters
Sleep apnea is not only about snoring. Each apnea drops your oxygen level and spikes your sympathetic nervous system, night after night.
- Strongly linked to high blood pressure that resists medication
- Raises the risk of stroke, atrial fibrillation and heart failure
- Worsens insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes control
- Daytime sleepiness multiplies motor vehicle accident risk
- Fragmented sleep drives low mood, irritability and poor concentration
- Your partner's sleep improves the night treatment starts
FAQ
Sleep apnea treatment questions
What is the most effective treatment for obstructive sleep apnea in Singapore?
CPAP therapy remains the most effective treatment for moderate and severe obstructive sleep apnea, because it physically holds the airway open every breath of the night. Oral appliances, weight loss and ENT surgery are alternatives for mild cases or for people who cannot tolerate CPAP.
Do I need a referral or a hospital sleep study first?
No referral is needed to take a screening questionnaire or to arrange a home sleep test with us. A home sleep test is validated for suspected moderate to severe OSA and is far easier than an overnight lab study; a lab study is still preferred if you have significant heart or lung disease or a suspected non-apnea sleep disorder.
Can obstructive sleep apnea be cured without CPAP?
Some people with mild, position-dependent or weight-related OSA see their AHI fall into the normal range with weight loss, alcohol reduction and side-sleeping. Moderate and severe OSA rarely resolve without ongoing treatment, which is why therapy data is reviewed rather than assumed.
What happens if sleep apnea is left untreated?
Untreated OSA is linked to hypertension, atrial fibrillation, stroke, type 2 diabetes, treatment-resistant high blood pressure and a markedly higher risk of motor vehicle accidents from daytime sleepiness. It also disrupts your partner's sleep.
How quickly do people feel better on CPAP?
Many people notice deeper sleep and less morning headache within the first week. Daytime alertness usually improves over two to four weeks of consistent nightly use. Comfort in the first fortnight comes down almost entirely to mask fit, which is why we fit in person.
How much does sleep apnea treatment cost in Singapore?
A CPAP machine from Comooz is $1,680 nett for the ResMed AirSense 10 and $1,880 for the AirSense 11, or $1,868 and $2,068 with a mask included. Rental starts at $50 a month and a 5-night home trial is $240 for a mask you keep plus a $360 refundable deposit. See the full price list for every fee.
Costs for every option are listed on our CPAP price page, and you can read more in our sleep guides.
Not sure whether you have sleep apnea?
Start with the free screening. If your risk is intermediate or high, we will arrange a home sleep test and walk you through the results ourselves.