sleep apnea

     

Sleep apnea is a sleep isorder characterized by pauses in breathing during sleep. Each episode, called apneas (Greek: άπνοια (ápnoia), from α- (a-), privative, πνέειν (pnéein), to breathe), lasts long enough so that one or more breaths are missed, and occurs repeatedly throughout sleep. The standard definition of any apneic event includes a minimum 10 second interval between breaths, with either a neurological arousal (a 3-second or greater shift in EEG frequency, measured at C3, C4, O1, or O2), a blood oxygen desaturation of 3-4% or greater, or both arousal and desaturation. Sleep apnea is diagnosed with an overnight sleep test called a polysomnogram.

Trivia about sleep apnea

  • (Sarah of the Clue Crew holds a CPAP device at the Sleep Research Center at Stanford University.) Stanford is running a trial of the CPAP device, which provides continuous positive airway pressure to help this chronic condition where breathing is interrupted
  • Overweight heavy snorers are prone to this disorder in which breathing stops for short periods
  • Asphyxia, or a temporary suspension of breathing that affects some adults during sleep
  • Snoring can be a sign of this disorder in which there's a temporary stopping of breathing