Snoring has been the focus of many comedies and cartoons, but it’s no joke. Snoring can be a signal for a sleep disorder called obstructive sleep apnea.

Studies have shown that obstructive sleep apnea, which causes a person to temporarily stop breathing during sleep, increases the risk for many cardiovascular diseases including heart attack and stroke. It also has recently been linked to a heightened cancer risk.

“Obstructive sleep apnea, the most common form of sleep apnea, has also been associated with incontinence, depression, behavioral changes, energy and memory loss, irritability, and sexual dysfunction,” said John Penek, MD, FCCP, board certified in Sleep Medicine and Medical Director of the Sleep Health Institute at Chilton Hospital. “However, it can be diagnosed in a painless, comfortable environment and treated easily in many cases.”

Chilton Hospital’s Sleep Health Institute is offering Free Sleep Heath Screenings as a first step to diagnose and treat obstructive sleep apnea and other sleep disorders.

There are six new screenings scheduled, all on Monday evenings:

• October 8
• October 22
• November 5
• November 19
• December 3
• December 17

The Free Sleep Health Screenings feature one-on-one visits with a Chilton sleep professional for individualized assessment. The personalized nature of the screenings identifies if attendees are at a risk for sleep disorder and determines if further evaluations are needed with sleep specialists. The screenings are held from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at the Chilton Health Network, 242 West Parkway, Pompton Plains (about 1.5 miles from the hospital). For more information, call (973) 831-5351. Registration is available at www.chiltonhealth.org