Doctors in the United Arab Emirates estimate that 7% to 10% of the population have sleep apnea and say sleep medicine services needed to be further developed, reports The National.

The high number of cases in the UAE is linked to sedentary lifestyles and eating habits.

 Most of the patients Dr Vats sees are obese, older than 40, have snoring and sleeping problems, and feel tired and drowsy all day.

A 2013 study found that more than 20 per cent of people coming to one primary healthcare clinic in Dubai were at risk of obstructive sleep apnoea.