Sleep Apnea is a common disorder in which a person has pauses in breathing while sleeping. They can occur 5-30 times an hour, often accompanied with a snort or choking sound. This disrupts sleep and often results in making you tired during the day. There are significant health risks involved with obstructive sleep apnea. Lifestyle changes, mouthpieces, surgery, and/or breathing devices can often successfully treat sleep apnea.
Sleep Apnea as a Risk Factor for Stroke and Death.
National Institutes of Health – Nov. 9, 2005.
[http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/new/press/05-11-09.htm]
An observational study of more than 1,000 patients at the Yale Center for Sleep Medicine found that obstructive sleep apnea significantly increases the risk of stroke or death from any cause, and that the risk is linked to sleep apnea severity. The researchers found the increased risk to be independent of other factors, including hypertension. Participants were over age 50 without a history of heart attack or stroke at the start of the study.
