Sleep Apnea

Summary

Sleep apnea is a common disorder that causes your breathing to stop or get very shallow. Breathing pauses can last from a few seconds to minutes. They may occur 30 times or more an hour.

The most common type is obstructive sleep apnea. It causes your airway to collapse or become blocked during sleep. Normal breathing starts again with a snort or choking sound. People with sleep apnea often snore loudly. However, not everyone who snores has sleep apnea.

You are more at risk for sleep apnea if you are overweight, male, or have a family history or small airways. Children with enlarged tonsils or adenoids may also get it.

Doctors diagnose sleep apnea based on medical and family histories, a physical exam, and sleep study results.

When your sleep is interrupted throughout the night, you can be drowsy during the day. People with sleep apnea are at higher risk for car crashes, work-related accidents, and other medical problems. If you have it, it is important to get treatment. Lifestyle changes, mouthpieces, surgery, and breathing devices can treat sleep apnea in many people.

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Find an Expert

• American Sleep Apnea Association American Sleep Apnea Association
• Find a Sleep Center Near You American Academy of Sleep Medicine
• National Center on Sleep Disorders Research National Center on Sleep Disorders Research
• National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Encyclopedia

• Apnea of prematurity Medical Encyclopedia

Children

• Apnea of Prematurity (For Parents) Nemours Foundation
• Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Sleep Apnea Detection American Academy of Pediatrics
• Sleep Study (Polysomnogram) Nemours Foundation

Patient Handouts

• Central sleep apnea Medical Encyclopedia
• Nasal CPAP Medical Encyclopedia
• Obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) Medical Encyclopedia
• Obstructive sleep apnea Medical Encyclopedia
• Pediatric sleep apnea Medical Encyclopedia
• Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) Medical Encyclopedia

Specifics

• Central Sleep Apnea – Mayo Clinic Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Obstructive Sleep Apnea Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons

NIH MedlinePlus Magazine

• Childhood Sleep Apnea Linked to High Blood Pressure in Teens
• Getting an Accurate Read on Pulse Oximeters

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Sleep Apnea Syndromes National Institutes of Health

Treatments and Therapies

• Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Machine Cleaning: Ozone, UV Light Products Are Not FDA Approved Food and Drug Administration
• CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
• CPAP Machines: Tips for Avoiding 10 Common Problems Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research

Diagnosis and Tests

• Getting a Sleep Apnea Diagnosis American Sleep Apnea Association
• Guide to Understanding Your Sleep Study American Sleep Apnea Association
• Pulse Oximetry National Library of Medicine
• Sleep Studies National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
• Sleep Study National Library of Medicine

Genetics

• Obstructive sleep apnea: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine

Journal Articles

• Sleep Apnea

Start Here

• Sleep Apnea National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
• Sleep Apnea Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Struggling to Sleep? Don’t Let Apnea Steal Your Sweet Dreams National Institutes of Health
• What Is Sleep Apnea? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute