Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during the night.

The main types of sleep apnea are:

• Obstructive sleep apnea – the more common form that occurs when throat muscles relax
• Central sleep apnea – which occurs when your brain doesn’t send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing
• Complex sleep apnea syndrome – also known as treatment-emergent central sleep apnea, which occurs when someone has both obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea

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Signs & Symptoms

Symptoms of sleep apnea include:

• Snoring
• Excessive daytime sleepiness
• Mood swings
• Irritability
• Decreased concentration
• Forgetfulness, anxiety
• Morning headaches
• Decreased sexual interest
• High blood pressure
• Carbohydrate cravings
• Weight gain

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Diagnosis

Diagnosing sleep apnea often involves overnight monitoring. Tests to detect sleep apnea include:

• Nocturnal polysomnography
• Home sleep tests