Sleep disorders, including sleep apnea, have become a significant health issue in the United States. According to the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, nearly 54 million adults in the U.S. have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which can cause them to stop breathing hundreds of times a night for anywhere from a few seconds to more than a minute. OSA represents the great preponderance of the cases, and when left untreated can lead to high blood pressure, chronic heart failure, atrial fibrillation, stroke, and other cardiovascular problems; it is associated with type 2 diabetes and depression; and is a factor in many traffic accidents and accidents with heavy machinery, owing to the persistent drowsiness suffered by many OSA patients before the disease is recognized and treated. 

The public and the health community are generally aware of the increasing obesity of Americans, a phenomenon related to the increase in sleep apnea. Few outside the sleep medicine community, however, are aware that too little good sleep appears to be as much a factor in obesity as too much food and too little exercise. OSA can strike people of any age, including infants and children, but it is most frequently seen in men over 40, especially those who are overweight or obese.