Millions live with undiagnosed sleep apnea. One man's experience reveals the signs to watch for—and the relief that comes with treatment.
Highlights
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Does sleep apnea go away on its own, or is it here to stay? That’s a question many people ask when snoring and daytime exhaustion start to interfere with daily life. According to the Cleveland Clinic, sleep apnea occurs when breathing repeatedly stops during sleep—most often from a blocked airway, but sometimes because the brain briefly fails to send the signal to breathe. Each pause disrupts deep sleep, usually without awareness, leaving rest fragmented and the body under strain.
According to 2023 data from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, nearly 30 million Americans—with 80% of cases still undiagnosed—have the most common type of sleep apnea: obstructive sleep apnea. Left untreated, the condition can raise the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and depression. Recognizing symptoms and risk factors is key to catching it early.
Common sleep apnea signs include:
- Loud, chronic snoring
- Episodes of choking, gasping, or stopped breathing during sleep (at times, noticed by a partner)
- Waking with a dry mouth or morning headache
- Daytime fatigue, trouble focusing, or mood changes
- Unintended drowsiness at work or while driving
Risk factors extend beyond lifestyle:
- Excess weight, particularly around the neck, makes airway collapse more likely, but age, gender, family history, and certain anatomical traits also play a role.
- Men are generally at higher risk, though rates in women rise after menopause.
- Enlarged tonsils, chronic nasal congestion, smoking, and alcohol or sedative use can also further contribute.
- Importantly, even people who aren’t overweight may be affected due to genetics or airway structure.
If you’ve been dealing with persistent snoring and daytime exhaustion, it’s worth paying attention. Help is available—and getting the right diagnosis and treatment can change your life.
Ahead, a 44-year-old patient from Lakeland, Florida, shares how a frightening wake-up call pushed him to seek answers. Plus, he reveals how treatment helped him finally get his energy back.
How I Knew I Had Sleep Apnea
As told by Christopher King, to Dr. Patricia Varacallo, DO
My struggle with sleep apnea didn’t hit me all at once. It snuck up on me slowly. I’d always been a snorer—my wife could vouch for that—but I never thought it was anything more than a nuisance. Over the years, though, my daytime fatigue became impossible to ignore.
My sleep apnea symptoms
By the summer of 2024, I knew something wasn’t right. Every afternoon at work, I was battling to stay awake, even after what I thought was a full night’s sleep. Mornings hit the hardest—I’d roll out of bed with a pounding headache and a raw, dry throat, feeling like I hadn’t slept at all. At first, I blamed it on stress, long hours, or maybe even just getting older.
My wife was the first to connect the dots. She told me I was choking and gasping in my sleep, sometimes even stopping breathing for several seconds before jolting back with a loud snort. I didn’t remember any of it, but I did remember waking up in the middle of the night, gasping for air and disoriented, with no clue why. Hearing her describe it shook me—but I still held onto the hope that it would just go away on its own.
That denial ended one evening when I dozed off at a red light on my drive home. Thankfully, nothing happened, but that close call was enough to scare me into action. It was obvious I couldn’t keep brushing this off.
Being diagnosed with sleep apnea
I’ll be honest—I hadn’t been to the doctor in years. But after that scary incident, I finally scheduled an appointment with a family doctor. She listened to my symptoms and didn’t hesitate: she suspected sleep apnea. From there, she referred me to a sleep medicine specialist who set me up for an overnight sleep study.
Walking into the clinic that evening, I was nervous and didn’t know what to expect. A technician hooked me up to sensors on my chest, face, and finger to track my breathing, heart rate, oxygen levels, and brain waves through the night. Sleeping with all those wires wasn’t exactly comfortable, but I managed to drift off.
The next morning, the results were clear: I had moderate obstructive sleep apnea. The doctor told me my airway was collapsing often enough that I was waking up, without realizing it, more than 20 times an hour. Suddenly, all those mornings of headaches and exhaustion made sense. On one hand, it was a relief to finally have an explanation. On the other, I couldn’t help but wonder—what now?
I asked the specialist if losing weight would fix it or if sleep apnea ever just goes away. He was honest: weight loss could definitely help, but I’d still need treatment to keep my airway open at night. It wasn’t the answer I wanted, but it was the reality—and at least now I knew what I was up against.
Getting treated for sleep apnea
Not long after the diagnosis, I was fitted with a CPAP machine—short for “continuous positive airway pressure.” Basically, it’s a device that delivers a steady stream of air through a mask to keep my airway from collapsing while I sleep.
The first few nights weren’t easy. The mask felt awkward, and at times I felt downright claustrophobic. I kept tugging at the straps, trying to get comfortable. But I was determined to give it a fair shot. My doctor worked with me to adjust the pressure settings and offered some practical tips, like wearing the mask for short periods while watching TV to get used to the feeling, and using the built-in humidifier to keep my nose and throat from drying out.
After about a week, I noticed a huge change. I woke up feeling refreshed—truly rested—for the first time in years. My wife reported that I was no longer snoring or gasping at night. During the day, I had energy again. No more dozing at my desk or grimacing through morning headaches!
My life today
Using the CPAP machine was just the start. I also made some lifestyle changes that made a real difference. My family doctor connected me with a health coach, and through her program I managed to lose about 15 pounds with steady diet and exercise. That may not sound huge, but for someone who’s struggled with weight most of his life, it was a big win. I also cut back on alcohol, which I didn’t realize was making my sleep apnea worse.
Between the weight loss and the CPAP, my symptoms have improved dramatically. I’ve accepted that sleep apnea probably isn’t going to just disappear, but I’m no longer trapped in a cycle of bad sleep and exhaustion. With the right treatment, I finally feel like myself again. My wife is sleeping better, too—because now she doesn’t have to worry about my breathing every night.
What to do if you suspect sleep apnea
If the symptoms Christopher described sound familiar, the most important step is to get evaluated. Here’s what experts recommend:
- Start with a doctor’s visit. A primary care physician can review symptoms and, if needed, refer to a sleep medicine specialist.
- Get tested. An overnight sleep study—done in a clinic or at home with portable equipment—is the only way to confirm a diagnosis and measure severity.
- Consider treatment options. Depending on the results, treatment may include CPAP therapy, an oral appliance fitted by a specialist, lifestyle changes such as weight loss or sleeping on the side, or, in select cases, surgery or newer devices.
- Understand the outlook. Most cases of sleep apnea do not simply go away on their own. Weight loss or corrective surgery may resolve some cases, but long-term management is often needed.
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