It was the middle of the night, and I was lying next to my husband when I woke up suddenly. The room was too quiet. I didn’t hear him snoring. I didn’t even hear him breathing. “Oh my God,” I thought, “is he OK? Is he alive?” The idea of waking up with a dead person in my bed was terrifying. I gently slipped my hand under the covers and touched him. No breath. My heart started pounding. Thoughts were racing through my mind, and the fear grew. Finally, I grabbed his arm and shook him. He startled, gasped, and began breathing again. This, my friends, is sleep apnea.
The Frightening Reality of Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea isn’t just snoring. It’s when breathing stops. Sometimes for 10, 20, even 30 seconds or longer, before starting again. For the sleeper, the body is starved of oxygen. For the spouse or loved one, it is terrifying to witness. Over time, this lack of oxygen stresses the heart, brain, and immune system, and can lead to serious conditions like high blood pressure, stroke, and memory loss.
Most doctors will offer CPAP machines or surgery. But rarely do they ask: Why is this happening?
The Lyme Disease Connection
Here’s something not many people know: Sleep apnea can be one of the attributes of Lyme disease.
What is Lyme disease? It’s an illness caused by spirochete bacteria, usually from a tick bite. These corkscrew-shaped microbes are sneaky. They hide inside tissues, cross into the brain, and interfere with the body’s natural systems.
I’m not a doctor, but I imagine that these little invaders could attack the part of the brain or nerve system that controls breathing at night. The result? The body forgets to breathe; over and over again. My husband was lucky. When he went in to seek help for his sleep apnea, he was one of the rare few who received a diagnosis of Lyme disease. This is very rare, as Lyme disease is mostly misdiagnosed as the presenting symptom(s). In this case, most people would have been simply diagnosed with sleep apnea and subsequent treatment of those symptoms, not the root cause: Lyme disease.
Symptoms of Lyme Disease May Include:
- Unexplained fatigue
- Brain fog and memory problems
- Aching joints and muscles
- Migraines or head pressure
- Numbness or tingling in hands and feet
- Mood swings or depression
- Sleep disturbances, including apnea
And that’s only part of the list. Lyme is known as “the great imitator” because it can mimic so many other diseases.
Our Journey Toward Healing
When my husband and I began experiencing multiple symptoms of Lyme disease, including his sleep apnea, we understood that we had to look for answers outside of conventional medicine. We could find no one who had been cured of chronic Lyme, like we had. We were told that the symptoms could be managed, but there was no known cure for chronic Lyme disease. At least my husband’s doctor validated the Lyme disease; most doctors would have either denied Lyme existed or prescribed antibiotics that didn’t solve the root issue.
So, we turned to natural and alternative health remedies.
Chlorine Dioxide: The Ultimate Solution
The most effective tool we discovered was chlorine dioxide. Don’t confuse it with chlorine bleach; it’s not the same thing. Chlorine dioxide is a simple, safe oxidizer that selectively goes after harmful bacteria, viruses, and pathogens without harming healthy cells.
When taken properly, it works like a deep cleansing agent for the body. It breaks down biofilm, clears out microbial overgrowth, and lightens the toxic load. For those with Lyme disease and sleep apnea, many people (including us) have noticed improvement in energy, mental clarity, and yes, even more restful breathing at night.
By reducing pathogens, the airway tissues calm down, inflammation lessens, and the natural rhythm of breathing can return.
Other Holistic Solutions
Alongside chlorine dioxide, we found these supportive practices to be essential:
- Detoxification – The modern world is full of chemicals. Clearing them from your body reduces inflammation that contributes to sleep apnea.
- Mineral Support – Magnesium relaxes muscles, iodine fuels energy, and clean nutrition rebuilds the body.
- Weight Balance – Extra weight around the throat can worsen apnea. Natural eating, clean water, and gentle exercise help.
- Energy Healing – Reiki and breathwork support the throat chakra, restoring balance to both body and spirit.
The Bigger Picture: Health, Beauty, and Rest
Lack of sleep shows on the face. Dark circles, dull skin, and premature aging all creep in when the body is oxygen-starved. But when you restore deep, uninterrupted sleep, beauty and vitality return.
That’s why I always remind people: health and beauty are inseparable. True beauty glows when your body is free of toxins, nourished, and breathing deeply through the night.
Non-Medical Lyme Disease Diagnosis
Herb Roi Richards has written a book about his non-medical Lyme disease diagnosis, that is inexpensive, quick, and you don’t have to get the diagnosis from the doctor. You just take the simple $30 test and review the results yourself. No need to have the results reviewed and interpreted by pathologists, lab specialists, or radiologists. You review the results yourself. And if it turns out you have Lyme disease, you can take it from there and consider using chlorine dioxide or not. See more information in Richards’ book, Lyme Disease Non-Medical Diagnosis and Treatment: How I Kicked Chronic Lyme Disease in One Year for Pennies.
Final Thoughts
Sleep apnea is not just a mechanical issue of the throat; it’s a sign of deeper imbalance. For some, like my husband, it was tied to Lyme disease. For others, it may be toxins, inflammation, or hidden pathogens.
But you don’t have to live in fear of stopping breathing at night. By detoxifying, nourishing, and exploring natural solutions like chlorine dioxide, you can reclaim your sleep, restore your health, and shine with renewed energy.
Your body is designed to heal. When you clear the obstacles, the miracle of breathing—simple, steady, and life-giving—returns.