Sleep Apnea 101: Signs, Diagnosis & Treatment

If you're newly diagnosed — or you suspect you might have sleep apnea — here's the condition explained without the jargon.

What is sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea is a condition where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. The most common form, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), happens when throat muscles relax and block the airway. A less common form, central sleep apnea, happens when the brain doesn't send the right signals to the muscles that control breathing.

Common signs

• Loud, chronic snoring, often with gasping or choking sounds
• Waking up tired despite a full night in bed
• Morning headaches
• Daytime sleepiness or difficulty concentrating
• A partner noticing pauses in your breathing during sleep
• Waking up frequently to urinate

An estimated 30 million+ Americans have some degree of sleep apnea, and a large share remain undiagnosed — partly because the person experiencing it is asleep for the symptoms and doesn't realize anything is wrong.

How it's diagnosed

Diagnosis typically involves a sleep study, either in a lab (polysomnography) or at home (a home sleep apnea test). The study measures how many times per hour your breathing is disrupted — the Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) — which determines severity: mild, moderate, or severe.

Treatment options

• CPAP therapy — the most common and effective treatment for moderate-to-severe OSA, delivering steady air pressure to keep the airway open.
• Oral appliances — custom mouthguards that reposition the jaw, often used for mild-to-moderate cases or as a CPAP alternative.
• Positional therapy — for apnea that's worse on your back, devices or techniques that encourage side sleeping.
• Weight management and lifestyle changes — can meaningfully reduce severity in some cases, though they don't replace prescribed treatment.
• Surgery — considered in specific cases where anatomy is a primary factor and other treatments haven't worked.

Why treatment matters

Untreated sleep apnea is linked to high blood pressure, increased cardiovascular risk, daytime accidents from fatigue, and reduced quality of life. The good news: with consistent treatment, most people see major improvements in energy, mood, and long-term health risk.