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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
- Sleep Apnea (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
-
What Is Sleep Apnea?
(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
Also in Spanish
Diagnosis and Tests
-
How to Test for Sleep Apnea: At Home or in a Lab
(Harvard Medical School)
-
Pulse Oximetry
(National Library of Medicine)
Also in Spanish
-
Sleep Study
(National Library of Medicine)
Also in Spanish
Treatments and Therapies
- Always Tired? You May Have Sleep Apnea (Food and Drug Administration) Also in Spanish
-
CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure)
(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
Also in Spanish
- CPAP Machines: Tips for Avoiding 10 Common Problems (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
-
Do You Need a Device That Claims to Clean a CPAP Machine?
(Food and Drug Administration)
Also in Spanish
Related Issues
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Heart Disease (American Thoracic Society) - PDF
Specifics
- Central Sleep Apnea (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
Genetics
-
Obstructive sleep apnea: MedlinePlus Genetics
(National Library of Medicine)
Clinical Trials
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Sleep Apnea Syndromes
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
Find an Expert
-
National Center on Sleep Disorders Research
-
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Sleep Center Directory (American Academy of Sleep Medicine)
Children
- Apnea of Prematurity (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Sleep Apnea in Children: Detection and Treatment (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
- Sleep Study (Polysomnogram) (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Patient Handouts
- Central sleep apnea (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Obstructive sleep apnea - adults (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Pediatric sleep apnea (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Positive airway pressure treatment (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health.