What Is It?

Sleep apnea is a disorder that causes people to stop breathing for short periods during sleep. These periods are called apneas. They usually last between 10 and 30 seconds. In severe cases, apneas can happen many hundreds of times each night, disrupting the person's ability to get a good night's sleep. This makes the person less alert during the day, which can lead to accidents. People with untreated sleep apnea are up to seven times more likely to be involved in motor vehicle accidents. People with untreated sleep apnea also are more likely to develop high blood pressure.

Sleep apnea usually happens when the breathing airway in your nose or throat becomes blocked partially or completely. It can be blocked by large tonsils, a large tongue or by too much tissue in the airway, which is more common in people who are overweight. When airway muscles relax during sleep, this extra tissue can block the breathing passages. This is called obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep apnea also can happen when the brain stem, the area of the brain that controls breathing, is damaged, for instance by an infection or stroke. This is called central sleep apnea. Studies show that sleep apnea affects approximately 9% of middle-aged men and 4% of middle-aged women.

Symptoms

Symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea include excessive sleepiness during waking hours. Because loud snoring is a symptom, the person's bed partner may be the first to notice the problem. Morning headache and dry mouth can occur, and obesity is common, though not all people with sleep apnea are overweight.