Sleep apnea

Introduction

Have you been told that you snore loudly? Do you wake up feeling tired after a full night's sleep? Are you sleepy during the day? If so, you may have sleep apnea. In this potentially serious sleep disorder, breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. "Apnea" is Greek for "without breath."

Sleep apnea occurs in two main types: obstructive sleep apnea, the more common form that occurs when throat muscles relax, and central sleep apnea, which occurs when your brain doesn't send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing. Additionally, some people have complex sleep apnea, which is a combination of both obstructive and central sleep apneas.

Obstructive sleep apnea occurs two to three times more often in older adults and is twice as common in men as in women. Treatments for sleep apnea may involve using a device to keep your airway open or undergoing a procedure to remove tissue from your nose, mouth or throat.