Study: Sleep Apnea Can Be Deadly

Feeling tired? Your sleep pattern could be to blame.

But for some Americans, feeling tired could be the least significant consequence of their sleep pattern.

Twelve million Americans suffer from nightly attacks of interrupted, oxygen-deprived sleep, also known as sleep apnea. According to a new study by John's Hopkins University, sleep apnea raises the risk of death for middle-aged and elderly people by as much as 46 percent in the most severe cases, and 17 percent in moderate cases.

The study, CBS News medical correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton said on "The Early Show" Tuesday, is a landmark in sleep apnea research because it quantifies the risk of death that the medical community has always known existed.

Ashton explained sleep apnea occurs when the soft tissue part in the back of the throat, in the upper airway collapses, blocking the passage of air in and out.

"When that happens, the blood oxygen levels drop, and therefore you kind of wake up with a start," she said. "If that happens once, it's really not a problem. But it doesn't just happen once, it happens repeatedly. Again, over the course of the night, as little as 11 minutes of this type of episode can really increase the risk of death."

What are some symptoms?

Ashton said snoring is an indicator.

"We're not talking about a little bit of snoring," she said. "Loud snoring, restless sleep. If you're waking up many times during the night."

Another factor, Ashton said, is if you have excessive daytime exhaustion. Ashton suggested talking to your doctor about getting a sleep study conducted to determine whether you have sleep apnea.

When talking about treatment options, Ashton suggests behavioral or lifestyle changes. In some cases, she said, sleep apnea can stop if a patient can make these changes:

Lose weight. (Over half the sufferers of sleep apnea are overweight, according to the National Institutes for Health.)

Avoid alcohol and sleeping pills.

Change sleep positions to promote regular breathing.

Stop smoking. Smoking can increase the swelling in the upper airway which may worsen both snoring and apnea.

Avoid sleeping on your back.