Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a disorder that causes you to stop breathing while asleep. Your brain tries to protect you by waking you up enough to breathe, but this prevents restful, healthy sleep. Over time, this condition can cause serious complications. However, this condition is often very manageable, especially with close adherence to prescribed treatments.

What is sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea is a condition that causes you to stop breathing while you’re sleeping. The word “apnea” comes from the Greek word for “breathless.” Sleep apnea happens because you stop breathing in your sleep. This happens either because of blockage of your airway (obstructive apnea) or because your brain doesn’t correctly control your breathing (central apnea).
The resulting lack of oxygen activates a survival reflex that wakes you up just enough to resume breathing. While that reflex keeps you alive, it also interrupts your sleep cycle. That prevents restful sleep and can have other effects, including putting stress on your heart that can have potentially deadly consequences.

Who does sleep apnea affect?

Sleep apnea can happen to anyone, ranging from infants and children to older adults. Obstructive sleep apnea is more common in certain circumstances and groups of people:

Before age 50, it’s more common in men and people assigned male at birth (AMAB). After age 50, it affects women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB) at the same rate.

People are more likely to develop it as they get older.
Having excess weight or obesity strongly increases the risk of developing it.
It’s more common in people who are Black, Hispanic or of Asian descent.

Central sleep apnea is most common in certain groups of people:

People who take opioid pain medications.
Adults over 60 years old.
People with heart conditions such as atrial fibrillation or congestive heart failure.
For some people using CPAP or who have obstructive sleep apnea, this can trigger the development of central events knowns as treatment-emergent central sleep apnea.
When people live at high altitudes, this can cause central apneas to occur.