What EXACTLY is sleep apnea?
“Apnea” comes from the Greek word: “breathless.” Sleep apnea is what happens when you stop breathing in your sleep.
This occurs either because of airway blockage, referred to as obstructive sleep apnea or because your brain isn’t correctly controlling your breathing, also known as central apnea.
But no matter which one you have, the resultant lack of oxygen triggers a survival reflex in your brain that jolts you awake just enough to make you resume breathing. While that reflex is excellent because it keeps you alive, it also interrupts your optimal sleep cycle.
That prevents you from obtaining a good night’s rest and can have other, more dangerous effects, including putting added stress on your heart that can have potentially fatal consequences.
