It's Sleep Apnea Awareness Month, and specialist Dr. Evan Temkin stopped by Cheddar News to talk about what the condition is and who is most at risk.
"Sleep apnea is actually a constriction of the airway during sleep, where breathing is interrupted," he said. "Pretty much everybody is at risk."
It affects about 50 percent of the population, he added.
Temkin stressed the importance of getting tested and treated as soon as possible, as prolonged sleep apnea has "cardiac implications."
"When you're not getting enough oxygen to the vital organs, your heart is going to start pumping harder," he said, which taxes the muscle layers in the heart.
The most common treatment for sleep apnea is the use of a CPAP machine, which fits over the nose and mouth to ensure adequate airflow while sleeping, but Temkin noted that it's not the only option.
"One of the big problems with CPAP is compliance," he said. "It's uncomfortable."
One alternative is what's called an "oral appliance," which treats sleep apnea by stabilizing the lower jaw and positioning it a few millimeters forward. This can, in many cases, open up the airway, making it easier for people to breathe freely.
Of course, those experiencing symptoms should see a specialist to see which method is best.
AstraZeneca said its cancer-treatment drugs when used following chemotherapy treatment showed positive late-stage trial results for endometrial cancer patients.
Elon Musk's brain-implant company Neuralink said it received approval from the Food and Drug Administration to begin human clinical trials.
Shares of e-commerce giant Alibaba fell as China braces for a new wave of Covid.
New Census figures show about 1 in every 100 U.S. households is a same-sex couple.
Dr. Caitlin Bernard is facing disciplinary action after she spoke publicly about providing an abortion to a 10-year-old rape victim.
Two people died from what the CDC suspects was a meningitis outbreak in Mexico.
Virgin Galactic completed its final test flight on Thursday before its long-awaited commercial access for customers.
Yellowstone National Park officials killed a newborn bison because its herd wouldn’t take the animal back after a man picked it up.
The FDA has approved Opvee, which can reverse fentanyl and other opioid overdoses.
Powerful Typhoon Mawar churned slowly over the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam on Thursday, lashing the island with wind and rain, tearing down trees, walls and power lines, flipping cars, and pushing dangerous storm surge ashore as first-responders waited for daylight to see the full extent of the damage.
