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Nearly one-third of Americans diagnosed with sleep apnea are not currently being treated, study shows

By
Stephanie Stahl
Stephanie Stahl
Stephanie Stahl is an Emmy Award-winning health reporter. She can be seen daily on CBS News Philadelphia and Philly57.
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Stephanie Stahl

/ CBS Philadelphia

A new survey reveals many Americans suffer from a potentially dangerous sleep disorder and aren't getting the treatment they need.

March is . Doctors say sleep apnea, when people temporarily stop breathing, is very common. But many people don't realize they have it, and their health could be suffering as a result.

Thomas Douaihy has been snoring for 20 years. The 59-year-old tried a dental device and nose strips, but a few months ago, his wife told him it was getting worse.

"My wife starts saying, 'You're scaring me, I wanna wake you up because you're struggling to breathe,'" said Douaihy.

Douaihy, who has recently retired and is very busy, also noticed he didn't have as much energy.

"I started feeling a bit tired during the day. I'm a very active guy. I'm rehabbing my house in Florida," he said.

A sleep test revealed he suffers from sleep apnea.

New research from the finds that nearly 90% of Americans said sleep apnea is a serious condition, but nearly one-third diagnosed are not currently being treated.

"You're at increased risk for cardiovascular events, metabolic disorders, cognitive dysfunction, emotional and mental health problems," said Joseph Dzierzewski, senior vice president of Research & Scientific Affairs at the National Sleep Foundation.

The report estimates that about 30 million Americans suspect they have sleep apnea and have not been diagnosed, and while most of the population knows , they aren't aware of other options.

"Things like lifestyle changes, diet, drinking behavior, smoking, exercise...surgical options, implantable medical devices. There are mandibular advancement devices," said Dzierzewski.

Douaihy is looking forward to when his CPAP machine arrives.

"Waking up, not tired, waking up refreshed, not feeling sleepy during the day," he said.

He's glad he listened to his wife so they both can start sleeping better.

Sleep apnea is typically diagnosed through a sleep study, either overnight in a sleep lab or at home with special monitoring.

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