Sleep Apnea: Are You At Risk?

Do you have family members that are constantly complaining about your snoring? If the answer is yes, then you might be suffering from a very common condition known as sleep apnea. Sleep apnea occurs when the upper airway becomes blocked during sleep, reducing or stopping your breathing throughout the night. Basically, this means that, during the time you are sleeping, you have short periods where you stop breathing. Your sleep becomes affected by this because your brain becomes alerted and wakes you up briefly over and over. Many people who are affected are unaware that they are waking during the night.