Sleep apnea is a common disorder in which breathing stops or becomes very shallow during sleep. Each pause can last from a few seconds to minutes, and they can happen 30 times or more an hour.
Obstructive sleep apnea
The most common type is obstructive sleep apnea: the airway collapses or is blocked during sleep, and normal breathing restarts with a snort or a choking sound. People with sleep apnea often snore loudly, though not everyone who snores has it.
Who is at risk
- People who are overweight
- Men
- People with a family history of it, or small airways
- Children with enlarged tonsils or adenoids
Diagnosis
Doctors diagnose it from your medical and family history, a physical exam and the results of a sleep study.
Why treat it
Sleep broken up through the night leaves you drowsy by day, and people with sleep apnea have a higher risk of car crashes, accidents at work and other health problems. Treatment matters, and for many people it works: lifestyle changes, mouthpieces, surgery and breathing devices can all help.
Sources
- MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, "Sleep Apnea," from the NIH National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. https://medlineplus.gov/sleepapnea.html
- Rewritten in hubnx's own words.
许可协议： CC0 1.0（公有领域） · 改编自 medlineplus.gov
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