Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder that occurs when a person's breathing is interrupted during sleep. People with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times. This means the brain -- and the rest of the body -- may not get enough oxygen.
WebMD Medical Reference reviewed by Nayana Ambardekar, MD on September 18, 2018
*Global burden of sleep‐disordered breathing and its implications
M. Melanie Lyons, Nitin Y. Bhatt, Allan I. Pack, Ulysses J. Magalang
Mayo Clinic, “Sleep Apnea Complications,” 25 July 2018.
www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sleep-apnea/symptoms-causes/syc-20377631