Sleep apnea is described as a common disease in which the sufferer has short breathing pauses during sleep.
More than 6,000 Västerbotten residents have the diagnosis and 1,600 are in line for investigation.
The waiting time for non-priority patients is currently up to 3.5 years.
The flow of referrals to investigate suspected sleep apnea is greater than one has time to take care of.
Last year, just over 1,000 people were investigated, but the queue still grew by just over 200.
Hear the chief physician in the video above.