Apnea means ‘without breath’.  

Sleep apnea is therefore the name that describes a potentially serious condition that occurs when you're breathing involuntarily stops and starts while you sleep.^1-3 

Untreated, this breathing irregularity can potentially happen hundreds of times a night. You may be unaware that you have the condition because you only partially awake when your breathing stops.^2,3 

Normally, the muscles that comprise the upper airway help maintain its tone, allowing it to remain open for the purpose of breathing while you sleep.^2,3 

When the airway muscles relax too much, the airway may narrow slightly or cause an obstruction. This often results in snoring – the noise generated by the vibrating soft or floppy parts of your throat (soft palate and uvula) as air passes through.^2,3  

While snoring does not severely reduce airflow while breathing, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) does.   

With OSA, your upper airway is blocked by the soft tissue that collapses when the muscles in your throat relax during sleep. This full airway collapse, which completely stops airflow to your lungs, is known as an ‘apnea’.¹ 

A reduction in airflow caused by a partial airway collapse is called a ‘hypopnea’.¹ 

The content is for educational purposes only. It should not be used as a substitute for the medical advice of one’s healthcare provider.