Sleep Apnea - What is it?

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which the victim stops breathing from a few seconds to a minute or more and resumes with a gasp or a snort. Apnea (also spelled apnoea) means the cessation of breathing.

There are primarily three types of sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea is caused when there is some obstruction of the airways including fatty tissue, enlarged tonsils or an enlarged tongue. Central sleep apnea is a central nervous system disorder. The message to...