Washington Post story today about Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Maybe it is more than just snoring? Obstructive sleep apnea causes pauses in breathing at night, limiting REM-phase sleep and causing blood oxygen fluctuations. In addition to daytime sleepiness and headaches, severe OSA can cause hypertension and heart disease and can contribute to obesity.
What may be surprising is that the OSA-sufferer usually thinks she “sleeps great” and “through the night” even though their deepest phase of restorative sleep is lacking. Patients with severe OSA may in fact get no restorative-phase sleep, putting them at risk of falling asleep behind the wheel and taking “mini naps” all day long.
Testing and treatment can be painless for most patients. Usually non-surgical treatments are effective (and even “loved” by the severe OSA-sufferer). Positive airway pressure (PAP or CPAP) and oral appliances will cure most patients. Sleep surgery can be considered when these treatments are not effective.
I recommend you seek out a comprehensive treating physician with experience offering all testing options (at-home vs in-lab studies) and an array of treatment options (PAP, somnoplasty, oral appliances, and formal sleep surgery).