Sleep Apnea

KYW Medical Reports Sponsored By Independence Blue Cross

By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- If you have obstructive sleep apnea the odds are quite good that you may snore loudly and you might also experience pauses in your snoring at night followed by choking or gasping sounds.

These are the common symptoms along with other signs during the day such as daytime sleepiness, waking up with headaches and memory problems. But there is another interesting finding: about 40 percent of people with sleep apnea have diabetes.

The association makes sense if you think about it. Carrying extra weight may contribute to both sleep apnea and diabetes. There could be additional factors at play: pauses in breathing that happen at night with sleep apnea may cause oxygen levels in your body to fall. This can affect how your body breaks down glucose—linked to diabetes.