Saturday, January 22, 2011

Sleep Apnea

A sleep disorder characterized by abnormal pauses in breathing or instances of abnormally low breathing during sleep:


Sleep Apnea (Sleep Apnoea in British English)

People with sleep apnea stop breathing for short periods of time while they are asleep. They generally don't wake up fully when this happens, but in the morning they feel exhausted and continue to feel sleepy during the day [source: University of Maryland Medical System: Sleep apnea].

There are two types of sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common and is caused when your throat muscles relax, blocking your airway. The other type, central sleep apnea, is caused when your brain doesn' t send the right signals to the muscles that control your breathing. Some people have a combination of the two types, called complex sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a potentially serious condition and should be treated.

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