What Is Sleep Apnea

During sleep the throat muscles relax and the airway gets narrow. In approximately 50% of Americans, this narrowing causes vibration of the walls of the throat during inspiration and produces the sound known as snoring. When the narrowing is worse, the airway can actually close and obstruct breathing, a condition known as obstructive sleep apnea. At least 10% of Americans suffer from sleep apnea. Most sleep apnea patients are sleepy during the day, and this is a major cause of traffic and industrial accidents. Moreover, the breathing obstructions can contribute to hypertension, heart attacks, strokes, and a high risk of death.