An estimated 18 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea. This disorder may raise your blood pressure and decrease the flow of oxygen to your brain. Studies have shown that patients with this potentially life-threatening disorder are so fatigued during the day that when driving, their performance is similar to a drunk driver. If left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to impaired daytime functioning, high blood pressure, heart failure and possibly stroke. While snoring and sleep apnea are related disorders, not all snorers will develop sleep apnea and not all sleep apnea patients snore.