By asking detailed questions, we can get a pretty good estimate of the probability that you have sleep apnea, and how severe it might be.

Back to Top

Can I snore and be sleepy during the day and NOT have sleep apnea?

Yes, you can snore without having sleep apnea and there are other reasons for being tired during the day. However, people who snore loudly are often on their way to sleep apnea even if they don't have it now.

Back to Top

What exactly is "Sleep Apnea"?

The most common type of sleep apnea is what happens when the obstruction in your throat that causes snoring gets bad enough that it actually stops you from breathing. That causes you to wake up - for some people hundreds of times a night - which is disruptive to your sleep; hard on your heart, circulatory system, and your brain.

Back to Top

What can happen if I have sleep apnea but don't get it treated?

Because you don't get quality sleep, you're going to see a lot of mental problems - mood disorders including depression, inability to concentrate and memory losses.

Because apnea actually deprives your body of oxygen, things like diabetes are more likely to befall you.

It's really an amazing list of diseases that occur in tandem with sleep apnea - hypertension, heart disease, erectile dysfunction, rapid weight gain, ADHD, etc. It shouldn't be a surprise - instead of getting the recuperative sleep we need, people with sleep apnea are fighting to breathe all night long.

Back to Top

How come my doctor never suggested this as a cause of my depression/hypertension/weight gain?

It's an unfortunate reflection on our medical system. Doctors are so rushed to see their quota of patients that they don't have the time to ask the questions they would like to. If you ask most doctors whether they think asking about a patient's sleep is a good idea, almost all of them will say yes. They just don't have time.

On the other hand, if you go to your doctor and say, "I am excessively tired during the day, and I snore loudly. Should I be tested for sleep apnea?" an overwhelming number of them will say, "Absolutely."

Back to Top

What's the difference between a sleep apnea "Screening" and a sleep apnea "Test".

A screening is the rough cut. By asking a bunch of questions about how tired you are and how you sleep and comparing your answers against the answers of people who have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, we can get a good idea of what a test will show for you.

A test uses a variety of data collectors to record information about how your body and brain are functioning while you sleep. This information is analyzed by computers and forwarded to doctors who interpret the results.

Back to Top

All this testing seems incredibly technical. Is it really necessary?

Sometimes insurance companies require that certain procedures be performed in order for you to be eligible for benefits. They want a formal test before they will pay for any treatment.

Some doctors are willing to precribe treatment for sleep apnea without benefit of a test if insurance is not a consideration; others are not.

It's also important to get tested in case you do NOT have sleep apnea. That way you know to keep looking for another cause for your excessive sleepiness.

Back to Top

I heard that losing weight could cure sleep apnea if I have it. Is that true?

Losing weight will almost always help.But it won't necessarily get rid of apnea.

Even worse, it's almost impossible to lose weight if you have severe apnea. The first mechanism at work is that apnea subjects your body to stress. Your body reacts to stress by producing stress hormones. These hormones make our bodies retain fat, especially belly fat.

And sometimes, we make up for the lack of endorphins which restful sleep gives us by eating fatty foods which deliver their own kind of endorphins.

Finally, people with sleep apnea are almost always too tired to work out or even remain moderately active.

Back to Top