What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Learn About Obstructive Sleep Apnea

OSA is a common condition in which a person's upper airway repeatedly collapses during sleep. The collapse may occur if a person has a large tongue, small jaw, extra tissue in the airway, or decreased muscle tone holding the airway open. As a result, air cannot get into the lungs and the person's sleep is disrupted.

People who have OSA stop breathing repeatedly during sleep. These pauses in breathing can happen 30 times or more per hour. When healthy sleep is interrupted in this way, it puts a strain on the heart and circulatory system and is associated with a number of serious health conditions.

If left untreated the person develops excessive daytime sleepiness, reduced oxygen levels at night, and is at an increased risk of uncontrolled or high blood pressure, uncontrolled glucose levels, heart attack, and stroke.