Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) occurs when breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. This is a potentially serious sleep disorder.
During an obstructive sleep apnea episode, your throat muscles intermittently relax and block your airway during sleep. Breathing usually resumes with a loud gasp, snort, or body jerk. These episodes can interfere with sound sleep and can reduce the flow of oxygen to vital organs and cause irregular heart rhythms.
Obstructive sleep apnea treatment may involve using a device to keep your airway open or using a mouthpiece to thrust your jaw forward during sleep.
