Sleep apnea is a disorder in the functioning of breathing during sleep.  During sleep, when the muscles relax the airway narrows, making breathing difficult or completely obstructing the passage of air to the lungs. This causes partial or total cessation of breathing dozens or hundreds of times, resulting in constantly interrupted sleep.

Patients with sleep apnea often suffer from drowsiness, headaches, fatigue, muscle pain and irritation throughout the day. During the night they exhibit severe snoring with or without interruptions in breathing, feeling of choking or gasping. These patients may show – inter alia – cardiovascular problems, high blood pressure, arrhythmias, decreased libido, depression, behavioral disorders, memory loss and concentration

The diagnosis of sleep apnea is made by a skilled clinician using questionnaire with questions about behavior during sleep and during the day and with the use of a specific portable device, which is placed on the patient during sleep.  Another method is the polysomnography, which takes place in a sleep laboratory. Under the supervision of a doctor, the patient is asked to sleep for the night in the lab. The system will record simple parameters, such as brain activity, breathing, eye movement, body and muscle activity, heart rate and blood oxygen levels. These measurements that will be made both by the mobile device and in the lab are painless.  Based on the results and observations, the doctor will conclude whether or not the patient is suffering from the sleep apnea syndrome.

Sleep apnea treatment depends on the severity of the problem: