| Sleep Information Center |
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7:24:04 PM on Saturday, 3rd January 2004
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Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common of the three types of sleep of sleep apnea. The greek word " apnea " literally means " without breath " . As stated earlier there are three types of sleep apnea, starting with obstructive sleep apnea, central sleep apnea, and mixed sleep apnea.
People with untreated obstructive sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly
during the course of the evening. Sometimes obstructive sleep apnea
will stop an individual from breathing hundreds of times during their
sleep often for a minute or longer. Obstructive sleep apnea is caused
by a blockage of the airway, usually when the soft tissue in the rear
of the throat collapses and closes during sleep. With each obstructive
sleep apnea event, the brain briefly arouses people with obstructive
sleep apnea in order for them to resume breathing. Unfortunately people
with obstructive sleep apnea have extremely fragmented and poor quality
of sleep.
