Symptoms of narcolepsy generally appear in the second decade of life. Sleep Apnea Sleep apnea is a serious, potentially life-threatening breathing disorder which affects 6 million adult Americans.
Some studies indicate that it is associated with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.
More common in men than women, apnea is experienced by sufferers as a lack of air flow throughout the night. This leads to frequent brief arousals. Over age 65, the prevalence rises to 28 percent and 24 percent for men and women respectively. It may be a central nervous system disorder and occasionally is associated with iron-deficiency anemia, pregnancy or diabetes. RLS is the basic cause of sleep deprivation for up to an estimated 4 million adult Americans.