In the mid 1970′s, I formed the Chuck Anderson Trio with Al Stauffer and Ray Deeley.The East Coast jazz group focused primarily on my original writing but also included unique interpretations of jazz classics. We gave concerts and recorded our first critically acclaimed album called “Mirror Within a Mirror”. My reputation as a rising young jazz guitarist was well on its way.

In the early 80′s, the group disbanded as we all pursued different musical directions. I continued working in the industry dividing my time between teaching, writing, researching and playing.

In 1984, I began to develop a problem with “Sleep Apnea”. I had never heard of this sleep disorder and didn’t recognize it as such. I assumed that I was tired, very tired but nothing beyond that. My wife, Coreen was the first to suspect that a serious problem was developing.

Sleep apnea (or sleep apnoea in British English) is a sleep disorder characterized by pauses in breathing during sleep. Each episode, called an apnea (Greek: ἄπνοια (ápnoia), from α- (a-), privative, πνέειν (pnéein), to breathe), lasts long enough so that one or more breaths are missed, and such episodes occur repeatedly throughout sleep.[1] The standard definition of any apneic event includes a minimum 10-second interval between breaths, with either a neurological arousal (a 3-second or greater shift in EEG frequency, measured at C3, C4, O1, or O2) or a blood oxygen desaturation of 3–4% or greater, or both arousal and desaturation. Sleep apnea is diagnosed with an overnight sleep test called a polysomnogram, or a “sleep study”.

- Wikipedia entry on Sleep Apnea

My oxygen level had dropped dangerously low, debilitating my energy and will to perform. Since the oxygen level affected my metabolism, I gained a huge amount of weight, further complicating the energy issues. There was barely enough energy to teach but not enough to give concerts.

In 2008, I was tested for Sleep Apnea. The test results showed that I had a condition called “Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea”. Two measurements of the severity of this disorder are the number of times you wake up per hour and the number of times you stop breathing per hour. The report showed that I woke up 108 times per hour and stopped breathing 106 times per hour! I had the answer to my long struggle after years of fatigue.

I began sleep therapy immediately using a BiPap breathing machine at night while I slept. For the first time in many, many years, I was actually sleeping through the night and waking up rested.

The next issue was the weight. I modified my diet severely and began to exercise regularly. With the help and support of my wife, I turned the condition totally around, lost 110 pounds and began to feel like the young 24 year old jazz guitarist who had formed the original Chuck Anderson Trio.

I’ve become an unofficial spokesperson for the dangers of “Sleep Apnea”. It is a disorder that is easily confused with typical symptoms that many people show in society: stress, poor diet, fatigue, lack of energy and motivation, getting up frequently through the night and a general feeling of never feeling rested and never being able to “catch up”. Sound like anyone you know? How about you? I have been able to get quite a few of my students into sleep therapy programs and it seems to be working for them.

Today, at age 62, I have begun to rebuild my performing career. My energy and work ethic are at an all time high. I’ve recorded and released a new CD and have resumed giving concerts.

An often misdiagnosed and overlooked condition, if you’re feeling similar symptoms, don’t take the chance that you too could be affected by Sleep Apnea. Your career and livelihood depend on how much energy you have.