Waking up exhausted? Loud snoring and daytime sleepiness aren’t just annoyances—they are major warning signs of sleep apnea in Artesia. This serious but highly treatable disorder often goes undiagnosed for years, but the AGH Sleep Center is here to help you find relief and reclaim your energy.
If you live in Artesia, Carlsbad, Roswell, or anywhere in southeastern New Mexico, you don’t have to drive to Albuquerque or El Paso for answers. The AGH Sleep Center has been diagnosing and treating sleep disorders right here in the community for more than 26 years — for patients of all ages, from young children to adults.
This guide covers what sleep apnea is, how to recognize it, why it matters for your long-term health, and how to take the next step toward a better night’s sleep.
Medically reviewed by Frances Murray BA, RRT, RCP, Director of Cardiopulmonary and Sleep Services
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a condition in which your breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. Each pause — called an apnea — can last from a few seconds to over a minute. In severe cases, this can happen hundreds of times a night, depriving your brain and body of the oxygen they need.
There are three main types:
- Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA): The most common form. The throat muscles relax and block your airway. Loud snoring, gasping, or choking are typical.
- Central sleep apnea: Your brain fails to send correct signals to the breathing muscles. Less common and often linked to heart failure or stroke.
- Complex (mixed) sleep apnea: A combination of both types.
Obstructive sleep apnea is by far the most prevalent and the most commonly diagnosed through a sleep study.
Signs and Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
Most sleep apnea symptoms happen while you’re unconscious. Many people first hear about it from a partner who witnesses the episodes. Common signs include:
- Loud, persistent snoring
- High blood pressure?
- Waking up gasping, choking, or short of breath
- Witnessed pauses in breathing during sleep
- Waking with a dry mouth or sore throat
- Morning headaches
- Excessive daytime sleepiness, even after a full night’s sleep
- Difficulty concentrating or memory problems
- Irritability, mood changes, or depression
- Frequent nighttime urination
- Reduced sex drive
Not everyone with sleep apnea snores — and not everyone who snores has sleep apnea. A proper sleep study is the only way to know for certain.
Who Is at Risk for Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea can affect anyone at any age, but certain factors increase your risk significantly:
- Excess weight: One of the strongest risk factors. Fat deposits around the upper airway can obstruct breathing.
- Neck circumference: Men over 17 inches and women over 16 inches face higher risk.
- Age: More common after 40 but can occur at any age — including in children.
- Sex: Men are two to three times more likely to have sleep apnea, though women’s risk increases after menopause.
- Family history: Sleep apnea runs in families.
- Alcohol and sedatives: Relax throat muscles, worsening obstruction.
- Smoking: Smokers are three times more likely to have obstructive sleep apnea.
- Diabetes and high blood pressure: Strongly associated with sleep apnea and worsen outcomes if it goes untreated.
- Children with ADD/ADHD or enlarged tonsils: Sleep apnea is a common but frequently missed cause of behavioral and attention issues in children.
In southeastern New Mexico, where rates of obesity, diabetes, and hypertension run above national averages, sleep apnea is a particularly common and frequently underdiagnosed condition.
Why Sleep Apnea Is More Serious Than You Think
Many people dismiss sleep apnea as just a snoring problem. But untreated sleep apnea has serious consequences:
- Heart disease and heart attack: Repeated oxygen drops strain the cardiovascular system and raise the risk of heart attack, arrhythmia, and heart failure.
- High blood pressure: Sleep apnea is a leading cause of treatment-resistant hypertension.
- Type 2 diabetes: Poor sleep affects insulin processing and worsens blood sugar control.
- Stroke: People with untreated sleep apnea are four times more likely to have a stroke.
- Depression and anxiety: Chronic oxygen disruption and sleep deprivation contribute directly to mental health decline.
- Drowsy driving: A serious safety risk for people with untreated sleep apnea.
- Children: Untreated sleep apnea in kids is linked to behavioral problems, poor school performance, bedwetting, and growth issues.
The good news: treating sleep apnea often dramatically improves or reverses many of these conditions. Patients frequently report lower blood pressure, better blood sugar control, improved mood, and significantly more energy.
Sleep Disorders Diagnosed and Treated at AGH
The AGH Sleep Center treats a full range of adult and adolescent sleep disorders — not just sleep apnea.
Adult Sleep Disorders
- Obstructive sleep apnea
- Central sleep apnea complicating congestive heart failure.
- Excessive snoring
- Insomnia
- Narcolepsy
- Restless leg syndrome
- Movement disorders of sleep
- Circadian rhythm disorders
- Shift work disorders.
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Morning headaches
Adolescent Sleep Disorders (Ages 3 and Older)
- Pediatric snoring and sleep apnea
- Childhood insomnia
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Parasomnias (sleepwalking, night terrors, confusional arousals)
- Enuresis (bedwetting)
- Sleep schedule disorders.
- Sleep problems associated with ADD/ADHD
If your child snores loudly, seems excessively tired during the day, wets the bed, or has been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD and is struggling to sleep, a sleep evaluation may provide answers that other approaches have missed.
How Is Sleep Apnea Diagnosed?
The gold standard for diagnosing sleep apnea is a sleep study, or polysomnography. This test monitors your brain waves, blood oxygen levels, heart rate, breathing patterns, and body movements while you sleep. The AGH Sleep Center offers two options:
In-Lab Sleep Study
You spend the night at the AGH Sleep Center, where Registered Sleep Therapists and trained sleep technicians monitor your sleep in real time using state-of-the-art equipment. Studies are conducted Monday through Sunday, 7:30 pm to 6:00 am, in private, comfortably decorated rooms with a cozy bed, television, and private shower. Board-certified sleep physicians review your results and communicate findings directly to your primary care or referring provider.
In-lab studies are available for patients ages 3 and older.
At-Home Sleep Study
For patients who are strong candidates for obstructive sleep apnea, an at-home sleep study is also available. A take-home device monitors your oxygen levels, airflow, and breathing effort overnight in the comfort of your own bed. Your provider will determine whether a home study or an in-lab study is the right fit for your situation.
Home sleep studies can be ordered through your primary provider and sent directly to our sleep lab via fax, or you can call and “self” refer yourself for a home sleep study.
Sleep Consultation
Many insurance companies require a sleep consultation before approving a sleep study. AGH offers this consultation through our clinic and will help coordinate scheduling. Note that insurance review can take up to two weeks, so it’s worth starting the process early. Call the Sleep Center at 575-736-8484 and our team can walk you through the next steps.
Think you or your child might have a sleep disorder? Call the AGH Sleep Center at 575-736-8484 or book an appointment online.
Sleep Apnea in Artesia: Treatment Options
Treatment depends on the severity of your sleep apnea and any contributing factors. Your sleep physician will recommend the right approach based on your study results.
Lifestyle Changes
For mild sleep apnea, lifestyle modifications can significantly reduce or eliminate episodes:
- Losing weight — even modest loss, can dramatically improve OSA
- Quitting smoking
- Reducing alcohol consumption, especially in the evening
- Sleeping on your side instead of your back
- Treating nasal allergies or chronic congestion
CPAP Therapy
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) is the most effective and widely prescribed treatment for moderate to severe sleep apnea. A CPAP machine delivers a steady stream of air through a mask to keep your airway open. Most patients experience dramatic improvement within the first few nights. Modern devices are quieter and more comfortable than older models.
Oral Appliances
For mild to moderate sleep apnea, a custom-fitted oral appliance can reposition the jaw and tongue to keep the airway open. Often preferred by patients who cannot tolerate CPAP.
Surgery
Surgical options may be considered when anatomical issues — enlarged tonsils, deviated septum, or excess throat tissue — are contributing to obstruction. Typically explored after other treatments have been tried. In children, tonsil removal is often highly effective.
Sleep Care at Artesia General Hospital
The AGH Sleep Center has served patients throughout Artesia, Carlsbad, Roswell, and southeastern New Mexico for more than 26 years. Our team includes Registered Sleep Therapists, trained sleep technicians, and board-certified sleep physicians who review every study and communicate results directly to your care team.
What to expect at the AGH Sleep Center:
- In-lab sleep studies are available Monday through Sunday, 7:30 pm to 6:00 am
- At-home sleep studies for appropriate candidates
- Sleep consultations coordinated through the AGH clinic
- Private, comfortable sleep rooms with home-like amenities including cozy beds, television, and private showers
- State-of-the-art monitoring equipment
- Board-certified physician review of all results
- Direct communication with your primary care or referring provider
- Available for patients ages 3 and older
Artesia General Hospital is a DNV-accredited, nonprofit community hospital with a 91/100 CMS patient satisfaction score — the highest of any hospital in southeastern New Mexico. You get the same quality diagnostic services available at larger regional facilities, with the personalized attention of a community hospital that has served this region for more than 85 years.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sleep Apnea in Artesia
Can I have sleep apnea if I don’t snore?
Yes. While snoring is one of the most common symptoms, not everyone with sleep apnea snores. Central sleep apnea in particular may not involve snoring at all. If you experience excessive daytime fatigue, morning headaches, or wake with a dry mouth, ask your provider about a sleep evaluation.
What ages does the AGH Sleep Center serve?
The Sleep Center provides sleep studies for patients ages 3 and older, including children and adolescents. Pediatric sleep disorders — including sleep apnea, parasomnias, bedwetting, and sleep problems linked to ADD/ADHD — are all evaluated and treated.
Does my insurance require a consultation before a sleep study?
Many insurance companies do require a sleep consultation before approving a study. AGH offers this consultation through our clinic and will help coordinate the process. Insurance review can take up to two weeks, so call 575-736-8484 to get started.
What is the difference between an in-lab study and an at-home sleep study?
An in-lab study at the AGH Sleep Center provides the most comprehensive data and is monitored in real time by trained technicians. An at-home sleep study uses a take-home device to measure oxygen levels, airflow, and breathing effort overnight. Your provider will recommend the right option based on your symptoms and health history.
What nights are sleep studies available?
In-lab sleep studies are conducted Monday through Sunday, 7:30 pm to 6:00 am. To request an appointment, call 575-736-8484 or book online.
How long does it take to get results?
Results are reviewed by a board-certified sleep physician and communicated to your primary care or referring provider. Your care team will discuss findings with you and outline next steps for treatment usually within 14 working days from the date of discharge.
Can children have sleep apnea?
Yes, and it’s more common than most parents realize. In children, sleep apnea is often caused by enlarged tonsils or adenoids and can show up as snoring, restless sleep, bedwetting, behavioral problems, or poor school performance. The AGH Sleep Center evaluates and treats pediatric sleep disorders for children ages 3 and older.
Is sleep apnea curable?
For some patients — especially those whose sleep apnea is tied to excess weight — significant weight loss can resolve the condition entirely. For most, sleep apnea is effectively managed with CPAP or other treatments. In children, treating an underlying cause like enlarged tonsils is often highly effective.
Take the Next Step Toward Better Sleep
Sleep apnea is one of the most underdiagnosed conditions in America — in both adults and children. But it’s also one of the most treatable. If you’ve been waking up exhausted, someone has told you that you stop breathing at night, or your child is struggling with sleep, don’t wait.
Sleep Apnea in Artesia: Find Care Near You
If you’re searching for specialized treatment for sleep apnea in Artesia or the surrounding Eddy County area, the AGH Sleep Center offers board certified sleep study doctors and a sleep apnea clinic team close to home. Conveniently located for residents in Artesia, Carlsbad, and Roswell, our center provides the advanced diagnostics and personalized treatment plans you need without the long commute. Whether you are right here in town or looking for a sleep study “near me” in Southeast New Mexico, our team is dedicated to helping our neighbors finally get a restful night’s sleep.
Call the Sleep Center directly at 575-736-8484 or book an appointment online.
Medical Disclaimer: This content is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider with questions about a medical condition or before starting any new treatment. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room immediately