For Kevin Golden, getting a restful might of sleep was an absolute nightmare. In fact, his sleep habits were so troubled, he says, "I would sleep for 15, 16 hours an dnot feel any better than when I went to bed."

But it was Golden's wife who finally sounded the alarm after noticing her husaband would briefly stop breathing in his sleep. "I didn't really notice it as much as she did," he says. "But I could fall asleep anywhere at any time."

Following a sleep evaluation doctors informed Golden that he had a condition known as sleep apnea. In its most common form, sleep apnea is a physical obstuction in which a person's airway becomes blocked. The block-age forces the victim to wake up to catch a breath. Golden was shocked to learn that he was waking up 60 times every hour!

Dr. Seth Greenberg, a sleep specialist in Virginia Beach, Va., says patients often aren't aware that they are waking up to breath. "We detect this on EEG - brain wanves." Amazingly, he add, "The patient is not aware that they are waking up and not getting in that deep sleep."

According to Greenberg, sleep apnea and sleep disorders can negatively impact work performance and family life. "People lose jobs," he says.

Golden agrees his performance both on the job and in his family were affected. "I never fell asleep at work," he recalls, "but I did feel, many times, that I was going to."

Even while driving, Golden says he ahs had to fight the desire to sleep. "I'd have to roll down the window, turn up the radio, whatever I could do to stay awake."

Left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to serious health problems, reports Dr. Philip Smith, director of the Johns Hopkins' Sleep Disorder Clinic. "Sleep apnea puts you at a higher risk for cardiovascular problems, mainly stroke and heart failure."

In addition, sleep apnea may also be associated with an irregular heartbeat and high blood pressure. It can also cause early morning headaches, memory and learning difficulties, and depression.

Treatments can be varied, but according to Dr. Richard Waldhorn at Gerogetown Medical Center, most patients "start out with what we call conservative treatment." This may include weight reduction, treating nasal congestions. "Frequently, patients with sleep apnea are worse when they sleep flat on their back," he says. "Getting them on their side or elevating the head of the bed may improve their breathing."

The solutions for Golden, however, was a mask called the Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP). Worn at night, it provides a steady stream of air through the nose. "It actually acts like a splint and it kind of holds the walls (of the nasal cavity open), allowing the patient to breathe easier," explains Waldhorn.

For some, though, the CPAP is too uncomfortable and too intrusive. For those patients, another option may be surgery to remove tissue at the back of the throat. Unfortunately, the success rate for this type of surgery has only been about 50 percent.

For those suffering from the following symptoms, excessive tiredness, lack of energy during the day - even after eight hours of sleep - sleeping at inappropriate times, high blood pressure, obesity, loud snoring or chronic sinus problems doctors suggest getting a sleep evaluation.

In most cases, sleep apnea can be diagnosed and treatment options explored the same night. For patients liked Kevin Golden, getting a good night's sleep is like getting a new lease on life.

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