h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

If people you like, or say they like you, complain about your snoring and say that you stop breathing during sleep, have it seen to--don't put it off. My husband had a referral for a sleep study, and his health insurance would have covered diagnosis and treatment at very low cost to him, but kept putting it off and ran out of time.

He died in his sleep at 49; an otherwise very healthy 49. He didn't like doctors. He didn't think snoring was that serious. I nagged. I moved to another bedroom so I could get a good night's sleep. He thought he did not have to get his snoring addressed because obviously the most serious part of it was that I couldn't sleep... Now his parents think I should have "made" him go to the doctor, and I think they should have raised him to take his doctor's advice. His mother doesn't like the way she was informed of his death--is there a way to do this that is better than others?

Just have it seen to--even if it's expensive, it's less trouble to the people who care about you than having to sort out your affairs after you die. You cannot possibly believe how much better you will feel after treatment: you haven't had a good night's sleep for years but you probably don't know it because it's just the way you always feel. If your loved one won't have their problem seen to, be sure you benefit from additional life insurance: even when money SHOULDN'T matter, it does, and you don't need additional problems after this finally kills them.

Current studies show that probably apnea-related deaths have historically been common, but we used to say they "died of natural causes" or "they died in thier sleep." Many arrythmia problems are related to apnea and subsequent heart enlargement. Ditto with heart failure, high blood pressure, low blood oxygen (how many brain cells can you AFFORD to loose), lack of sleep can cause fatal mistakes and accidents, blood clots, and obesity (it turns out that lack of oxygen may contribute to obesity).

Call the doctor now. If they don't take it seriously, find a doctor who does. If you are a doctor and EVER told any patient this is not serious, firgure out who they were and call them TOMORROW. Period.