We all know those people who are walking around and clearly have sleep apnea.  Many of them are overweight, especially centrally, and they snore loudly and clearly have periods where they stop breathing while sleeping, and they complain that even though they seem to sleep through the night they feel sleep deprived, and they can suddenly nap if they sit long enough during the daytime. 

There are also a number of people walking around with "mild sleep apnea" and their symptoms are far more subtle.  Maybe they feel a bit tired or maybe their spouse says they snore on and off through the night and occasionally seem to have short periods where their breathing pauses.  This population is of particular importance because (a) though their OSA (obstructive sleep apnea) may be mild, it is still associated with a risk for heart disease and (b) they may benefit significantly from CPAP therapy (the same therapy recommended for full blown OSA).

So if you even suspect you may be developing OSA or suffer from just mild symptoms, talk to your doctor about the proper diagnostic and therapeutic options you have.