Are you plagued by tiredness? Do others say you snore? Are you at least slightly overweight? If so, you could have sleep apnea.

If you meet these criteria, have your doctor prescribe a sleep study for you. Don’t wait! Your life could be shortened by sleep apnea, and it’s all unnecessary — there’s treatment. If you have sleep apnea, you hold your breath and then gasp for air many times a night. It results in increased risk of stroke, heart attack, and other cardiovascular disease including aneurysm.

Sleep apnea is caused by the collapse of the airway while breathing in. This condition happens when excess fatty tissue lining the airway causes the airway to lose elasticity. It is a condition generally caused by excess poundage. Snoring usually occurs also.

After the airway closes, the oxygen level in the blood drops. Blood pressure shoots up. The sleeper struggles to breathe and begins to wake up. Returning to consciousness, the sleeper opens the airway, and the breath is completed. The sleeper falls back to sleep. The cycle begins again, perhaps many times per minute. Breath cessation for 10 seconds will bring you a diagnosis of sleep apnea.

Your cardiovascular system will wear out from the constantly spiking blood pressure. Your rest will be ruined because of the constant near-waking.

Oddly enough, you may not even be aware that you hold your breath while sleeping. Only the telltale tiredness will tip you off that you are in fact sleep-deprived.

The sudden rise in blood pressure many times a night is what can kill you, by leading to heart disease or stroke.

So, what can you do about it?

An effective treatment method has been developed over the past few decades. The continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device consists of a face mask, an air hose, and a fan in side a box. The fan supplies pressure through the hose to your airway. It’s not too much pressure–you can easily breathe out — but when you breathe in, it boosts the airway pressure enough to prevent collapse.

One downside is that the mask can be uncomfortable. But a variety of suppliers offer options now, one of which will probably fit your face.

The CPAP might limit your activities, too, because you always have to wear it, even if you are traveling or camping.

Is the fan noise a problem? Users say no; the white noise can actually help them fall asleep.

So, do a quick risk analysis. Is the risk of early death worth the inconvenience of wearing a mask and finding an electric outlet whenever you fall asleep?