HOUSTON -- The death of an NFL player from complications of sleep apnea is raising awareness about the dangerous condition, Local 2 reported Wednesday.

Brandon Middleton, 24, is fulfilling a lifelong dream after playing for the University of Houston -- he currently plays for the NFL. But off the field, Middleton did not know he was tackling a very serious condition.

"When I would wake up in the middle of the night, I just thought maybe I had heard a noise. I just thought I was a light sleeper," Middleton.

His wife, Deidra, knew differently. She listened to her husband not only snore, but even stop breathing.

"It is scary to hear someone snore. It is scary to hear air and then you don't hear anything," Middleton said.

News of the NFL's Reggie White's death from sleep apnea complications hit players like Middleton hard.

"That's what all the buzz in the locker room was, 'What happened?' Everybody wanted to know," Middleton said.

He wanted to make sure he wasn't next, so he took part in a sleep study.

The results of the test showed Dr. Kevin Smith, an ear, nose and throat specialist with the Sleep Pro Group, 9329 Kirby, whether Middleton has sleep apnea.

"These people are supposedly sound asleep, but they are fighting to breathe every breath," Smith said.

Sleep apnea is a condition where a person tries to breathe at night, but something is obstructing their airway.

Technicians used wires to monitor Middleton's sleep closely.

After a night at the center, Middleton now knows he has the condition and needs to wear a C-Pap mask to help him breathe. The C-Pap mask ensures constant oxygen flow into the airway at night. Other treatments for sleep apnea involve surgery and weight loss.

Middleton believes wearing a mask at night is a small price to pay.

"I would love to have great sleep," he said.

Warning sights include snoring, waking up choking or gasping and losing your breath at night.

For more information, visit www.sleepprogroup.com or call (713) 790-1190.