Sleep apnea is a disease in which the airway becomes blocked and breathing stops during sleep.
Often the block is caused by a relaxation of tissues at the back of the throat, obstructing the airflow into the lungs. This repeated stop and start in breathing leads to severely disturbed deep sleep which everyone needs. Sleep apnea syndrome is defined as the presence of more than 30 apneas in a 7-hour sleep. In severe cases, periods of not breathing may last for 60 to 90 seconds and may recur up to 500 times a night. The effects of the lack of sleep caused by sleep apnea are devastating.