Anything that affects your ability to take deep, restorative breaths robs your heart from getting your full supply of nitric oxide. Obstructive sleep apnea is one of the worst culprits. More than 20 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea, and most of them don’t know it.

In cases of sleep apnea, a person’s breathing stops and starts repeatedly during the night. Untreated sleep apnea can lead to a range of heart problems, including high blood pressure, stroke, and sudden cardiac death, as well as metabolic problems such as obesity and diabetes.

This danger to the heart can occur no matter what your age or your physical appearance. The typical image of someone with sleep apnea is an overweight male, but women and people who are slender can have it too.

Symptoms of sleep apnea include:

• Loud snoring

• Excessive daytime sleepiness, which can lead to accidents during the day

• Sudden awakening accompanied by shortness of breath

• Awakening with a dry mouth or sore throat

• Coughing or gagging upon awakening

• Morning headache

• Difficulty staying asleep

• Problems paying attention or focusing

If you think you might have sleep apnea, ask your doctor for a referral to a reputable sleep clinic. There are a variety of treatments available.