There are already many informative web sites concerning sleep apnea. For me to go over definitions, symptoms, treatment methods, etc. would be redundant. In lay terms, apnea describes sleep events wherein the throat of the sleeper collapses, i.e., the normally hollow tube connecting the lungs to the mouth and nose narrows substantially (hypopnea) or closes altogether (apnea). When blood oxygen levels drop below a certain point the brain abruptly signals the body to wake up. People with episodes of sleep apnea will awaken choking, gasping for air and generally feeling sketchy. Aside from the psychological terror that this condition produces, it can also be risky: A lifetime full of apnea events is linked to a higher risk of strokes. If you would like a more objective survey of this very interesting sleep disorder, please visit these sites: http://www.sleepapnea.org/geninfo.html http://www.sleepedu.net/forums/apnea3/messages/526.html http://www.cannylink.com/diseasesleepapnea.html For a more intimate approach to one person's experiences (mine) with sleep apnea see why sleeping can be scary.

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