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WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Snoring is so common it's often the butt of jokes and the punchline in situation comedies.
Who doesn't laugh during those bedroom scenes when the husband is making so much noise that the wife has to wear ear muffs?
But there's nothing funny about sleep apnea, the jarring silence that sometimes comes between loud snorts.
Apnea means "lack of sleep" in Greek, and its effects on the sleeper can produce more problems than just fatigue, although that is a major symptom.
The seriousness of the condition was underscored recently when National Football League legend Reggie White died at 43, with sleep apnea noted as a contributing factor.
"Well, it's unlikely that sleep apnea would cause a catastrophe by itself," Dr. David Rapoport, director of the sleep program at NYU Medical Center, said on "Good Morning America."
But he added it certainly could have produced a period of low oxygen or some type of stress that "tripped off an irregular heartbeat." White had an existing condition -- sarcoidosis, a lung problem -- which could have intensified the effect of the apnea.
However, you don't need a lung condition to be threatened by apnea. Sufferers -- and they're mostly men -- can develop heart problems, high blood pressure, and even weight gain as a result of this disturbed sleep.
The good news is if you do not snore, says the Harvard Medical School Guide to Men's Health, you do not have to worry about sleep apnea.
The bad news is that sleep apnea affects approximately 15 to 20 million Americans, and a majority of them are undiagnosed and untreated.
That doesn't mean they are unaware.
Most men who are snoring so loudly that they get repeated kicks from their partners should have a clue they might be in trouble.
"Bed partners are often aware of the repeated episodes of disrupted or absent breathing," says Dr. Michael J. Sateia, president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, "and the repeated nighttime awakenings caused by the cessation of breathing and loud snoring also disrupt their sleep."
Absolutely.
Anyone who has been on the receiving end of a house-rattling grunt followed by a period of dead silence will not be sleeping well.
Not all snorers have apnea, however. The overwhelming signs are extreme daytime fatigue, often with morning headaches.
The lack of sleep can lead to irritability and mood disorders, and often results in falling asleep during the day at inappropriate times, even at the wheel.
The Harvard Guide says another possible indication of the condition is frequent night-time urination.
Who gets the disorder?
Those most prone to apnea are obese men with large necks, size 17 or bigger, who smoke and are between 30 and 60. (Weight reduction is a key strategy for treatment.)
There are several other treatments available, but sleep experts recommend a session at an accredited sleep disorder center for an evaluation, first. A list of such centers is available at www.aasmnet.org/listing.asp or by calling the Academy at 708-492-0930.
Carolyn Susman writes for The Palm Beach Post. E-mail carolyn-susman@pbpost.com Editor Notes:
c.2005 Cox News Service
