How Sleep Apnea Can Start During Military Service

Many veterans develop sleep apnea during their time in the military but aren’t officially diagnosed until years later. To prove that their sleep apnea began during service, veterans often submit personal statements to the VA explaining symptoms they experienced—like loud snoring and feeling unusually tired during the day. It’s also common for former roommates or fellow service members to back up these claims by describing what they saw or heard.
According to Dr. Ralph Downey III, an expert in sleep disorders, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common form of sleep-disordered breathing. It happens when a person tries to breathe during sleep, but the airway repeatedly becomes blocked. This leads to poor oxygen levels and frequent brief awakenings throughout the night—although the person often doesn’t remember waking up.
OSA usually develops slowly over time. People may not realize they have it for years.
Common Nighttime Symptoms:
• Loud and frequent snoring that can disturb others
• Breathing pauses (apneas) during sleep, often followed by gasping or snorting
• Restless sleep, tossing and turning, or frequent awakenings
• Difficulty falling or staying asleep (insomnia)
Common Daytime Symptoms:
• Waking up tired, even after a full night of sleep
• Feeling drowsy during calm activities, like reading or watching TV
• Struggling to stay awake during tasks that require focus, such as driving or working
• Ongoing fatigue or lack of energy
Sleep apnea is part of a broader category known as Sleep-Related Breathing Disorders (SRBDs). Research shows there’s a progression—starting with snoring, then moving to increased airway resistance, and eventually leading to full-blown sleep apnea if left untreated.
At first, the main symptom might just be loud snoring. But over time, people begin to feel increasingly sleepy during the day because their sleep is constantly disrupted by breathing problems. This stage, known as Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS), can progress into OSA. Unlike full OSA, people with UARS don’t always have low oxygen levels, but they still feel extremely tired.
If untreated, the condition typically worsens, and the person may develop more serious OSA symptoms—such as snoring, extreme sleepiness, low oxygen during sleep, and reports from a spouse or roommate of breathing interruptions.
The link between early symptoms like snoring and the eventual development of OSA has been recognized in VA decisions. For example, in a 2016 ruling (BVA Decision, Docket No. 11-08 722), the Board of Veterans’ Appeals acknowledged that snoring during service was an early sign of sleep apnea. This supports the idea that veterans can, and often do, develop sleep apnea during their time in the military—even if the official diagnosis comes later.