Sleep Fundamentals || A is for Apnea

Sleep Fundamentals: What is Sleep Apnea?

This post first appeared September 26, 2014 and was updated on July 3, 2017.

What is Apnea?

*APNEA: A complete cessation of airflow for at least ten seconds during sleep. Apneas may be central, obstructive, or mixed.

Types of Apnea

• CENTRAL APNEA (aka CSA)
  A complete cessation of airflow and respiratory effort for at least ten seconds during sleep.
• OBSTRUCTIVE APNEA (aka OSA)
  A full cessation of airflow for at least 10 seconds during sleep which is associated with a continuation of respiratory effort.
• MIXED APNEA (aka COMPLEX APNEA)
  A full cessation of airflow for at least ten seconds which begins central (no associated respiratory effort) and ends obstructive (respiratory effort).

---

8 popular links on sleep apnea in SleepyHeadCentral:

1. Do you have insomnia… or do you have sleep apnea?
2. Edward Grandi on Sleep Apnea: What is it and what can I do about it?
3. Suspect your snoring sleep partner might have apnea? Check these five signs
4.  Therapies for Sleep Apnea that don’t involve a mask
5. What happens if I don’t treat my sleep apnea?
6. The easy, obvious way to deal with snoring and mild sleep apnea is to …
7. Go to the dentist to fix your apnea?
8. “Heard About Sleep?” APNEA… If not, listen in here.

---

Links to learn more:

• Sleep Apnea Information for Individuals || American Sleep Apnea Association
• Sleep Apnea Information for Clinicians || American Sleep Apnea Association
• Sleep Apnea || MedicineNet.com

---

*SOURCE for DEFINITION: Spriggs, WH. (2010.) Glossary. In Essentials of Polysomnography (pp585-606). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers