Sleep Apnea is something that I actually know a little bit about! So finally I get to put in my 2 cents!
Obstructive sleep breathing is often found in over-weight middle ages folks but not always. I have had it since my teen years and I am on the trimmer side. Most folks do not take sleep disorders seriously enough, but if treated properly your quality of life improves terrifically. This is because when the roof of your mouth collapses, your body has to fight for air. Thus you wake up (you don’t realize it but you do) several times a night. This constant startling you to wakefulness causes lots of side effects. You miss out on important REM sleep; you become oxygen-starved, and your heart begins working harder.
A CPAP makes a big difference. It can even cut down on night sweats and night terrors. And if you have neuromuscular problems, my ALS clinic discovered, it makes your symptoms much more manageable. My sleep clinic claims that only about ¼ of the folks who need a CPAP have one.
I struggled for years, falling asleep in meetings, at class, at traffic stop lights. Back then there were no sleep labs and nobody knew how to help. Now, my community has about 3 sleep labs, although I get lots more information and more in-depth treatment at the one associated with a major teaching hospital.
Hope this helps. Sleep disorders are understood much better these days. You should find reams of website dedicated to the issue. Good luck. Cindy