Sleep apnea--what is it and what causes it

What is sleep apnea?  Sleep apnea occurs when a person’s sleep is interrupted many times throughout the night.  The person may snore a lot.  He may have pauses in breathing (called apnea or absence of breathing) which may last up to 10 seconds.  His oxygen levels drop, his body has to work harder to oxygenate his heart and body organs, and his sleep is interrupted.

What causes sleep apnea?  The most common type of sleep apnea, Obstructive sleep apnea, is caused by the person’s tongue and tissues in the back of the throat partially obstructing the airway.  The second type of sleep apnea is called Central Sleep Apnea when the brain fails to tell the body to breathe.  The third type, called Complex Sleep apnea is a combination of the first two types.  

Next time I discuss symptoms of sleep apnea.