Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep disorder that causes you to stop breathing repeatedly during sleep. These breathing pauses last at least 10 seconds and can happen dozens or hundreds of times per night. Sleep apnea prevents your body from getting the oxygen and rest it needs, raising the risk of heart disease, stroke, and other serious health problems. With proper diagnosis and treatment, sleep apnea can be managed effectively.
During normal sleep, the muscles in your throat relax. In most people, this does not cause a problem. But in people with obstructive sleep apnea, the throat muscles relax too much. The soft tissues in the back of the throat, including the tongue, collapse inward and partially or completely block the airway.
When your airway is blocked, your body does not get enough oxygen. Your brain detects the drop in oxygen and briefly wakes you up so you can reopen your airway. These awakenings are usually so short that you do not remember them, but they happen over and over throughout the night. The result is fragmented, poor-quality sleep that leaves you tired and puts strain on your heart and body.
Sleep apnea is classified by severity based on how many times per hour your breathing stops:
Breathing pauses per hour
Breathing pauses per hour
Breathing pauses per hour
Sleep apnea can affect anyone, regardless of age, weight, or gender. While it is more common in certain groups, healthy and fit people can develop sleep apnea too. The factors below increase your risk.
Sleep apnea disrupts the hormones that control appetite, making weight management harder.
Sleep apnea is diagnosed through a sleep study. Two options exist, and the right one depends on the complexity of your case.
Practical answers from our board-certified specialists. These questions come directly from patients we see at the clinic.
Yes. While excess weight is a risk factor, sleep apnea can affect people of any body type. Jaw structure, airway anatomy, genetics, and other factors all play a role. If you have symptoms of sleep apnea like loud snoring, daytime tiredness, or observed breathing pauses during sleep, you should be evaluated regardless of your weight.
Snoring is the sound of air vibrating against relaxed throat tissues. Sleep apnea involves actual pauses in breathing where the airway is blocked. You can snore without having sleep apnea, but loud snoring with choking or gasping is a strong sign that sleep apnea may be present. A sleep study can tell the difference.
Learn more on our snoring page.
Yes. Sleep apnea in children is often caused by enlarged tonsils or adenoids. Signs include snoring, mouth breathing during sleep, restless sleep, bed wetting, and daytime behavior problems. If you notice these signs in your child, talk to their pediatrician about a sleep evaluation.
Sleep apnea is usually a chronic condition that requires ongoing management. Most patients use their oral appliance or CPAP every night on a long-term basis. However, lifestyle changes like weight loss can sometimes reduce the severity of sleep apnea enough to change your treatment needs. Your doctor will monitor your progress over time.
Yes. Morning headaches are a common symptom of sleep apnea. The repeated drops in oxygen during the night and disrupted sleep can trigger headaches when you wake up. If you regularly wake up with headaches, sleep apnea may be the cause and should be investigated. See our headaches and migraines page for more.
Board-Certified Orofacial Pain Specialist · Diplomate, American Board of Orofacial Pain · Assistant Professor, UCLA
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