It was not until a few years ago that I realized that my snoring (since I was a kid - a big family joke) was, in fact, causing sleep apnea. I did the sleep study and found that I was "waking myself up every 29-38 seconds, which means I never got any rem sleep. The answer for me was CPAP, and it is a very effective treatment. Still, I would have trouble staying awake at times...in meetings, driving, etc. The doc recently prescribed Provigil which is working great...it ois to treat excessive sleep disorders, such as narcolepsy. The insurance company did make me get prior authorization, but it was approved. Provigil is not an amphetemine...one takes it on an as needed basis, etc. Have your friend get to a sleep clinic right away.