Do you ever experience a slump in energy during the day? Maybe you wake up tired or become fatigued during the course of your day, even after a full night's sleep. Do people close to you complain about your snoring? You could be suffering from sleep apnea without even knowing it.

In simple terms, sleep apnea refers to a condition in which you literally stop breathing for a few seconds, typically about 10 seconds at a time. This can occur throughout the night without you even being aware of it. In fact, most diagnoses of sleep apnea occur after someone else notices the apneic episodes. Clinical diagnosis is usually made with a polysomnogram, or overnight sleep test, where your breathing is closely monitored while you sleep.

There are three types of sleep apnea, categorized primarily by the cause of the disorder. The first is obstructive sleep apnea and is the most common. As the name implies, it's caused by something obstructing the flow of air. You may experience a mild form of sleep apnea if you have an upper respiratory infection. The tissues in the throat swell and block your airflow. But chronic obstructive sleep apnea usually requires medical intervention as it can lead to serious health complications, including a severe form of congestive heart failure.

The second, less common but more serious form is central apnea. In this type of sleep apnea the area of the brain that controls respirations is out of balance. The body's level of carbon dioxide in the blood rises, and the feedback mechanism that usually keeps it in check doesn't react fast enough for you to keep breathing regularly. Following the apneic episode, you may breathe rapidly for several seconds or minutes; this is the body's defense to blow off the excess carbon dioxide and quickly take in more oxygen. This can continue even into your waking hours.

The third type of sleep apnea is complex apnea, a combination of the first two. If obstructive sleep apnea is severe, and allowed to continue for an extended length of time, central sleep apnea can develop as a result.

One of the most common symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea is snoring, however, just because you snore doesn't necessarily mean you have it. It's when your snoring suddenly stops, along with your breathing, that's usually a good indication you may have sleep apnea. The apneic episode is typically followed by a deep gasp after which your snoring continues.

The simple exercise program I created to eliminate snoring is helpful in both main types of sleep apnea. By learning how to strengthen the muscles and tissues of the mouth and throat, episodes of obstructive sleep apnea can be lessened.

Central sleep apnea can also be helped by my Stop Snoring Program , though perhaps to a somewhat lesser extent. Exercising and moving the muscles actually helps to stimulate the areas of the brain that house the respiratory control centers.

Keep in mind that the Stop Snoring Program is in no way intended to diagnosis, treat, or cure severe forms of chronic sleep apnea. You should absolutely seek advice from your primary care physician for a clinical diagnosis and proper medical treatment. - Christian Goodman