If these are all true for you, waste no time in having your doctor prescribe a sleep study. If you do have sleep apnea, it can shorten your life. And there is treatment! Those who have sleep apnea hold their breaths many times a night, gasping for air. Sleep apnea means higher risk of cardiovascular disease such as stroke, heart attack, and aneurism.

Sleep apnea is caused by the collapse of the airway while breathing in. This condition happens when excess fatty tissue lining the airway causes the airway to lose elasticity. It is a condition generally caused by excess poundage. Snoring usually occurs also.

The airway collapses. Then the blood oxygen level falls. Blood pressure goes way up as a result. The sleeper, struggling to breathe, starts to wake up. Nearly waking up, the sleeper is able to complete the breath. Then he falls asleep again. The cycle can be repeated many times per minute. If a stopped breath lasts 10 seconds, it is defined as sleep apnea.

The spiking blood pressure is what wears out the cardiovascular system. The semi-conscious effort is what deprives you of sleep.

The fact that you are holding your breath may come as a surprise to you. It's the constant tiredness that will be obvious.

The sudden rise in blood pressure many times a night is what can kill you, by leading to heart disease or stroke.

What to do?

Effective treatment has been available for a couple of decades now. The continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) system supplies air from a fan through a hose to a mask placed over the nose and mouth. Pressure from the fan keeps the airway open as you breathe in. It's not so much pressure that you can't breathe out.

The nuisance that most people report about the CPAP is the mask: it can be uncomfortable. However, many suppliers are offering many masks these days. You can shop around.

Another downside is that you have to wear it whenever you lie down to sleep. If you go traveling or camping, you still have to wear it.

Is the fan noise a problem? Users say no; the white noise can actually help them fall asleep.

So, do a quick risk analysis. Is the risk of early death worth the inconvenience of wearing a mask and finding an electric outlet whenever you fall asleep?