Sleep Apnea Insights » sleep apnea definition http://sleepapneainsights.com Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:28:41 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Sleep Apnea Definition http://sleepapneainsights.com/sleep-apnea-information/sleep-apnea-definition/ http://sleepapneainsights.com/sleep-apnea-information/sleep-apnea-definition/#comments Tue, 24 Mar 2009 16:04:32 +0000 Hartmann http://sleepapneainsights.com/?p=33 Sleep apnea, also referred to as sleep apnoea, is a common sleep disorder. It’s characterized by brief interruptions of breathing during sleep. These episodes, called apneas, last 10 seconds or more and occur repeatedly throughout the night. People with sleep apnea partially awaken as they struggle to breathe, but in the morning they may not be aware of the disturbances in their sleep.

The most common type of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), caused by relaxation of soft tissue in the back of the throat that blocks the passage of air. The person stops breathing during sleep due to airway blockage. Breathing is resumed within a few seconds, but periods of as long as sixty seconds are not uncommon in serious cases.

Central sleep apnea (CSA) is caused by irregularities in the brain’s normal signals to breathe. Some people with sleep apnea have a combination of both types.

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