sleep apnea

n. A disorder characterized by cessation of breathing during sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea is due to the temporary blockage of the upper airway by mucus or tissue of the airway, which can be congenital or due to obesity. Usually breathing resumes with a loud snore and sometimes with bodily jerks. It results in daytime sleepiness, which can become severe and is associated with heart disease, memory loss, lethargy, irritability, mood changes, lowered sexual drive and capacity, and reduction of intellectual ability. Obstructive sleep apnea is usually treatable using a Continuous Positive Air Pressure (CPAP) machine to maintain an open airway during sleep. Central sleep apnea results from brain disease or trauma in the brainstem, which causes interruptions in the signals from the brain to the diaphragm.