Someone suspected of having sleep apnea can wait anywhere from a couple of weeks to two years to get an appointment at the Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region’s sleep lab to confirm the diagnosis, reports Regina Leader-Post.

“As people get more overweight, there is more of a risk for sleep apnea,” Peters said. “Our society is getting more overweight, so we’re probably going to see more sleep apnea.”

In some ways, it’s a chicken-and-egg dilemma, she said.

“When people have sleep apnea, they’re not sleeping as well and when you’re not sleeping well, you’re gaining weight,” Peters said. “It’s a vicious cycle. When we’re tired, we end up eating more.”