Always feeling tired?

You should wake up feeling refreshed and have ample energy. If you don’t you may have sleep apnea.

Sleep Apnea. The problem strikes an estimated 5 to 10 percent of people, and may be under-diagnosed especially in women. Making a link between insomnia and sleep apnea could help turn up cases of apnea that might otherwise go undetected.

People with sleep apnea can unknowingly suffer hundreds of minisuffocation episodes each night. “Everybody’s throat tissue gets narrower when they’re asleep, but in people with sleep apnea this narrowing makes breathing difficult. If the throat becomes too narrow, breathing stops entirely. The lack of air triggers the body to wake up and prevents sufferers from falling into a deep sleep. People with apnea may also have trouble staying asleep. Or they may unwittingly realize they’re continually struggling for breath and become subconsciously afraid to fall asleep.

More than half of adults regularly suffer from insomnia, according to the National Sleep Foundation.

Sleep apnea boosts the risks of strokes, high blood pressure, and possible heart attacks.

The most common and effective treatment for my suffers is wearing a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, or CPAP. machine while you sleep. The small device blows air through the nose to prevent the throat from collapsing.

Sleep apnea often goes undiagnosed. Doctors usually can’t detect the condition during routine office visits. Also, no blood test can help diagnose the condition.

Most people who have sleep apnea don’t know they have it because it only occurs during sleep. A family member or bed partner might be the first to notice signs of sleep apnea.

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