If you suffer from gastroeophageal reflux disease, otherwise known as GERD there's a good chance you may have another condition as well.

There's a new baby in the house, but that's not the only reason that proud new dad Jack Williams isn't getting enough sleep.his acid reflux, or GERD isn't helping. Jack's wife Jennifer says, "Well, he's asleep, he doesn't know, because the GERD does something and he snores and he stops breathing and he gets sick in the middle of the night."

Sleep Disorder Specialist Holly Hannon explains that if you do suffer from GERD than it wouldn't be uncommon for you to also have the effects of another unpleasant condition known as sleep apnea. "Having sleep apnea, a person lays down, the airway starts to collapse, they can't get air through the airway, they're trying to breath, so the pressure in the chest wall can force the acid upward."

Dr. Hannon says that that's when the person often awakes choking or gasping, unable to catch their breath. "Usually with sleep apnea, if they awaken and there is not reflux they might catch themselves not breathing but usually that sensation goes away rather quickly."

If you're experiencing any of these symptoms it's important that you see your physician. Jack's treatment, however, has been pretty un-conventional. "Its been pretty good lately, you know, she doesn't allow me to eat that much anymore.or sleep. He can't eat or sleep so there goes the GERD."

Treatment is in fact crucial. GERD increases the risk for asthma and some forms of cancer and sleep apnea can increase the risk for heart disease.

An estimated 27 million Americans suffer from nighttime GERD.