Sleep apnea is a surprisingly common disease which can actually prove to be very serious if left undetected and untreated over a long period of time.
Fortunately, sleep apnea treatment is widely available and can be very successful, with many patients noticing immediate improvement.
The disease affects sufferers' breathing as they sleep, causing them to stop breathing over and over again for periods of around ten to twenty seconds.
This can happen hundreds of times every night.
The problem of course is that sufferers' sleep cycles are interrupted, resulting in them getting more shallow sleep and less of the deep, restorative sleep we all need.
Inadequate sleep caused by sleep apnea causes many problems, such as daytime sleepiness, lack of co-ordination and, over time, more serious problems such as raised blood pressure, risk of heart disease and stroke and gaining weight.
Sleep apnea treatment can prevent sufferers from stopping breathing during the night whilst they are asleep.
One of the most successful treatments is known as Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, or CPAP for short.
CPAP machines are devices which have mask like parts which are applied to the sufferer's face.
A constant flow of air is then provided to keep the patient's breathing passages open whilst they are asleep.
Some sufferers claim that CPAP machines are uncomfortable to use, but this particular sleep apnea treatment has improved a great deal over the past few years and machines are more comfortable, quieter and lighter than ever before, making them much more appealing.