Sleep apnoea

Definition:

Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder in which your breathing repeatedly stops and starts while you sleep. This can happen hundreds of times a night, even if you don’t realise it. Each time your breathing stops, your oxygen level drops. This can lead to a number of health problems, including high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.[1]

There are two main types of sleep apnea:

  • Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common type. It occurs when your throat muscles relax and block your airway.
  • Central sleep apnea is less common. It occurs when your brain doesn’t send the proper signals to your muscles to keep breathing.

Symptoms of sleep apnea can include:

  • Loud snoring
  • Daytime fatigue
  • Morning headaches
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Irritability
  • Witnessed apneas (breathing pauses) during sleep
  • Restless sleep

 

Treated trusted sources:
  1. Slowik, J.M. and Collen, J.F. (2022). Obstructive sleep apnea. [online] PubMed.

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