Lying beside your spouse you noticed how the noisy snoring is stopped by sudden gasps for air. The next day, your partner complains about headache, feeling of fatigue, and being really sleepy at work. Next bedtime, you observe the same patterns and you grow curious. Observe your partner well. He or she might already be suffering from sleep apnea, a common sleeping disorder with life-threatening results.

Sleep apnea, as mentioned, is a disorder, which is characterized by pauses in breathing while a person is asleep. Many people abruptly wake up when sleep apnea happens because waking up is the brain's way of rebooting the entire breathing system.

When the brain detects that there is an imbalance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the body, it will instruct the muscles handling the breathing mechanism to breathe. If there are obstructions along the airflow, there may be difficulty in breathing and sleep apnea may take place.

This disorder often entails breathing stops of about 10 seconds or more while the person is sleeping. Experts say, it doesn't happen once or twice but sometimes over 300 times a night. The person may not feel every episode unless he gets awakened because he can't breathe. The effects will only be felt during the day when the person feels really tired, as if he lacked some sleep.

There are so many symptoms related this sleeping disorder but not all who manifest these symptoms have it. Although you may not have this disorder, it is still best for you to consult with a doctor when any or all of these are being observed.

"Person can't get to sleep well or his restless when he's asleep.

"There is very loud snoring that suddenly pauses, then the person gasps for air.

"Person suddenly wakes up gasping for air.

"Uncontrollable sleepiness during the day when driving, while watching TV, or working.

"Headaches in the morning

"Sore throat or dry mouth in the morning

"Feeling weak

"There is loss in concentration or focus

"Easily gets irritated

"Becoming very forgetful about things

"Abrupt changes in behavior or moods

"Feelings of anxiety and depression

"Becoming obese

"Decreased sexual drive

Immediate detection of sleep apnea can help treat it early so as to prevent bigger health problems like hypertension, coronary artery disease, stroke, impotence, memory loss, mental dysfunctions, or even death.

For mild symptoms, there are self-help remedies that can help:

-Lose weight if overweight

-Keep away from alcoholic beverages, tobaccos, or sleeping pills, which contribute to air blockage since the tongue and throat will become too relaxed

-Sleep on the side and not on the back.

-Create a regular sleeping pattern. Establish good bedtime hours to eliminate disturbances to sleep.

For more advanced cases of sleep apnea, the following are most commonly used treatments:

-Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), which is a mask worn to bed to prevent obstructions in the air passage. This device costs around $1000 but prove to be very effective when used properly by the patient

-Dental apparatus or oral devices to help adjust the lower jaw and the tongue positions so that the airway will open. These are simpler to use compared to the CPAP but they cause soreness and damage to the jaw, teeth, and mouth in general.