What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
In the U.S. approximately one out of five adults is suffering from OSA. This is a chronic condition that can cause individuals to stop breathing hundreds of times at night, ranging from a few second to more than a minute. OSA occurs when your muscles relax during sleep, allowing soft tissue to collapse and block the airway. This causes repeated breathing pauses which reduce oxygen levels. These breathing pauses are followed by brief awakenings that disturb your sleep. Some common signs of OSA include gasping, snoring, choking sounds, headaches, obesity, daytime tiredness, and grinding your teeth at night.