Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
A sleep disorder that is marked by pauses in breathing of 10 seconds or more during sleep, and causes unrestful sleep. Symptoms include loud or abnormal snoring, daytime sleepiness, irritability, and depression.
SymptomsTestsTreatmentsPart of: Sleep Disorders
About Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
What is sleep apnea?
Obstructive sleep apnea (pronounced AP-nee-ah), also called OSA, is a chronic (ongoing) disorder. People with OSA stop or “pause” their breathing or have shallow breathing when they sleep.
Almost everyone has brief times when they stop breathing while they sleep. People with OSA:
Pause their breathing or flow of air (called “hypoapnea”) more often than normal. May start breathing again with a loud snort or choking sound. Have breathing pauses five or more times an hour; sometimes as often as once or twice each minute.OSA can be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on:
How many times a person pauses their breathing or has lower airflow per hour. How low a person’s oxygen level in their blood drops during those times. The amount of sleepiness a person feels during the day…