What is Sleep Apnea?

Breathing is an automatic bodily function that we all take for granite while we sleep. But what happens when our breathing just stops.

That is Sleep Apnea ! It’s a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts. The airways can become blocked due to risk factors such as age, obesity, underlying medical conditions or being diagnosed with a neurological disorder.

The disorder can happen repeatedly throughout the night, sometimes hundreds of times. If you snore loudly and feel tired even after a full night's sleep, you might have sleep apnea.

The main types of sleep apnea are:

· Obstructive sleep apnea, the more common form that occurs when throat muscles relax

· Central sleep apnea, which occurs when your brain doesn't send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing

· Complex sleep apnea syndrome, also known as treatment-emergent central sleep apnea, which occurs when someone has both obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea

If you think you might have sleep apnea, see your doctor. Treatment can ease your symptoms and might help prevent heart problems and other complications.