What causes sleep apnea, your breathing pauses briefly and can occur hundreds of times a night. Each pause may last from just seconds to more than a minute and can affect your blood oxygen levels, heart rate and irritability. People with sleep apnea often feel exhausted or tired during the day and can have trouble with their memory, attention and concentration.

In obstructive sleep apnea, the airway gets closed or partially blocked while you’re sleeping, making it hard to breathe. This can cause you to wake up or gasp for breath, and it may occur hundreds of times a night. These events disturb your rest, reduce the amount of time you spend in stage 2 sleep (deeper, more restful sleep) and can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

What Causes Sleep Apnea and How Can It Be Prevented

Central sleep apnea occurs when your brain fails to send the right signals to your throat muscles to keep them working while you sleep. This type of sleep apnea is more common in older adults, people with neuromuscular diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease), and those who have had a stroke. People with both obstructive and central sleep apnea have a mixed or complex sleep apnea syndrome.

You should see your doctor if you have symptoms of sleep apnea, such as snoring, waking up frequently during the night or feeling too tired during the day. Untreated, sleep apnea can lead to long-term health problems and raises your risk for dangerous situations like driving or operating machinery where it’s unsafe to fall asleep. Treatment options may include lifestyle changes, a breathing device such as a CPAP machine or surgery.