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Article: Troubled Sleep; Apnea Episodes Are Common But Most People Are Unaware
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- May 4, 1993
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
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Millions of Americans get up each day feeling exhausted because
their sleep is broken by frequent spells in which they stop breathing
and then briefly awaken, a study shows.
The condition, called sleep apnea, has long been recognized as a
problem, but this study found it is surprisingly common and largely
undiagnosed. Though most people don't know it, the condition
seriously disrupts the sleep of about 4 percent of women and 9
percent of men in their working years.
It probably contributes to car crashes and job accidents and may
be an underlying factor in many other conditions, including memory
loss and heart trouble.