What is Sleep Apnea?

There are three types of obstructive sleep apnea: obstructive, central, and mixed. Of the three, obstructive is by far the most common. Despite the causative differences of each type, people with untreated obstructive sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep. This may happen hundreds of times during the night and can often last for a minute or longer. In central sleep apnea, the brain fails to signal the muscles to breathe. Mixed apnea is a combination of central and obstructive sleep apnea.

What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a serious condition in which the sufferer stops breathing during sleep due to a completely blocked airway, sometimes for up to a minute at a time. OSA is an extremely serious condition that can result in extremely fragmented and of poor quality sleep, and should be treated by a qualified physician.

Who has OSA?

OSA occurs in 24% of men and 9% of women,* which is approximately as often as adult diabetes. Although sleep apnea can affect anyone at any age, it is usually between the ages of 45-65. Due to a lack of public awareness, the vast majority of sufferers remain undiagnosed and therefore untreated despite the fact that the disorder can have serious medical consequences.

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