Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea refers to interruption of breathing during sleep. Apnea is a Greek word that means "want of breath." The most common form of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea. In obstructive sleep apnea, the muscles of the soft palate around the base of the tongue and the uvula relax, obstructing the airway. The airway obstruction causes the level of oxygen in the blood to fall (hypoxia), increases the stress on the heart, elevates blood pressure, and prevents the patient from entering "REM sleep," the restful and restorative stage of sleep. In other words, sleep apnea causes deprivation of quality sleep.