Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a common disorder having one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while sleeping. The Greek word "apnea" literally means "without breath."

Define obstructive sleep apnea disorder

sleep disordered breathing or breathing pauses can last from a few seconds to minutes. They often occur 5 to 30 times or more an hour. Typically, normal breathing then starts again, sometimes with a loud snort or choking sound.

Sleep apnea usually is a chronic (ongoing) condition that disrupts the sleep 3 or more nights each week. Patients often move out of deep sleep and into light sleep when breath pauses or shallow breath occurs. This results in poor sleep quality thus tired during the day. Sleep apnea is one of the leading causes of excessive daytime sleepiness.

Sleep apnea often goes undiagnosed. Doctors usually can't detect the condition during routine office visits. Also, there are no blood tests for the condition.

Most people who have sleep apnea don't know they have it because it only occurs during sleep mostly without their knowledge and happens unknowingly. A family member and/or bed partner may first notice the signs of sleep apnea.

Other Names for Sleep Apnea are Sleep-disordered breathing and Cheyne-Stokes breathing.

Next Sleep apnea types