Sleep apnea is a condition that causes repeated cycles of breathing interruptions during sleep. If left untreated, sleep apnea may lead to dangerous health complications related to oxygen deprivation.

While sleep apnea is considered common in adults, it’s important to consult a doctor if you suspect that you have this condition. Repeated cycles of stopped breathing during sleep deprive your body of necessary oxygen. Over time, this can lead to serious health complications.

There are multiple types of sleep apnea. Learn more about these different types, including their causes, their key symptoms, and how a doctor might diagnose and treat them.

The two most commonly recognized types of sleep apnea are obstructive and central sleep apnea. A third, less common type of sleep apnea is called complex sleep apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)

OSA is the most common form of sleep apnea. It involves a blockage in your upper airway that prevents breathing while you sleep. Blockages may occur several times per night and may partially obstruct breathing or prevent airflow altogether.

Central sleep apnea (CSA)

CSA is the second most common form of sleep apnea. Unlike OSA, CSA is caused by disruptions in brain signals that tell your body when to breathe. It’s not caused by physical blockages.

CSA typically causes repeated and alternating cycles of reduced or stopped breathing (hypopnea) and increased breathing (hyperpnea).

While OSA is common in middle-aged adults, CSA risk tends to increase with older age. CSA is also more common in males.

Complex sleep apnea (CompSA)

CompSA involves having both OSA and CSA. People with this type have a history of OSA but may then develop CSA during treatment. CompSA is considered one of six types of CSA syndromes.

Treatment and management of CompSA can be complex. Diagnosis can also be challenging due to similarities in symptoms.

Risk factors for sleep apnea development can vary by type.

Risk factors for OSA can include:

Possible risk factors for CSA development primarily involve the presence of certain underlying medical conditions, and may include:

Also, OSA is a risk factor for the development of CompSA.

While they have different causes and risk factors, all types of sleep apnea have similar signs and symptoms.

One exception is loud snoring, which tends to occur more often in OSA. If you have this type of sleep apnea, a loved one might notice that you frequently snore during sleep. You might also wake up at night feeling like you need to gasp for air.

Other possible sleep apnea symptoms include:

  • frequently waking during the night
  • excessive daytime sleepiness
  • difficulty concentrating
  • morning headaches
  • excessive fatigue

If left undiagnosed or untreated, sleep apnea may lead to both short- and long-term complications and effects on your body.

Constant pauses in your breathing can reduce your overall quality of sleep. This can lead to excessive daytime sleepiness, as well as irritability and difficulty concentrating during the day. Additionally, you may be at a higher risk of motor vehicle accidents.

Over time, sleep apnea may contribute to the development of more serious health problems. Possible complications include:

Despite the range of possible symptoms and risk factors for sleep apnea, this condition can often occur without symptoms. As a general rule, it’s important to consult a doctor if you have unexplained fatigue and sleepiness. A doctor may then consider evaluating you for sleep apnea.

It’s also worth speaking with a doctor if you experience excessive sleepiness during the day and a loved one has noticed that you frequently snore and gasp for air at night. These symptoms may also point to a need for a sleep apnea evaluation.

To help diagnose sleep apnea, a doctor will:

  • consider your medical history and any possible underlying risk factors
  • ask you about your sleep habits and possible symptoms
  • rule out other possible health conditions that could contribute to daytime sleepiness, such as thyroid disease
  • evaluate any medications you take that might contribute to sleep apnea, such as sedatives or opioids

If a doctor suspects sleep apnea, they may order a polysomnography (sleep study), which may be performed overnight. During a sleep study, a sleep specialist collects the following data to help determine the type and severity of possible sleep apnea:

  • breathing rate
  • blood oxygen levels
  • heart rate
  • brain waves
  • muscle movements

Sometimes, a doctor may also ask you to self-collect data at home. For example, you might keep a sleep diary or wear a device that tracks your nighttime sleep and daytime alertness.

Sleep apnea is primarily treated with positive airway pressure (PAP) therapies, which help deliver oxygen to your body when you stop breathing while sleeping.

Continuous PAP (CPAP) is the most common form. Doctors may also consider adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV) and bi-level PAP (BiPAP) for people who do not respond to traditional CPAP treatment. Custom-fit oral devices are another alternative to CPAP.

Doctors may also consider certain types of surgery for OSA to help reduce blockages in the upper airways. Examples include tonsil removal, procedures to remove tissues in your upper airway, and jaw advancement.

Additionally, researchers are exploring the possible role of medications in treating sleep apnea.

One recent example is tirzepatide (Zepbound), a weight loss injection that was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2024 for treating moderate or severe OSA in people who also have obesity. Zepbound is the first FDA-approved medication for OSA.

A doctor may also consider other treatments that help address underlying causes of sleep apnea to help reduce your symptoms. These can include treating underlying heart, lung, or renal diseases for CSA and treating obesity or hormonal imbalances for OSA.

Certain lifestyle strategies may help, especially in the case of OSA. In addition to treatment, a doctor might recommend trying to lose weight to treat obesity, maintaining a sleep schedule, and sleeping on your side. Avoiding alcohol, sedatives, and smoking can also be beneficial.

If you receive a sleep apnea diagnosis, it’s important to stick to your treatment plan and visit your doctor for regular checkups to find out how well treatment is working. Regular blood work and other tests can also help detect complications.

When left undiagnosed, sleep apnea has a high mortality rate. In a 2008 study that followed up with adults who had sleep-disordered breathing after 18 years, researchers found that the risk of mortality was higher in cases that were more severe, regardless of a person’s age.

Can sleep apnea kill you?

Sleep apnea can pose both short- and long-term risks that may potentially be fatal. Examples include motor vehicle accidents, heart failure, and stroke.

Can sleep apnea be cured?

There are multiple treatment options and lifestyle strategies that can help improve sleep apnea. In theory, treating sleep apnea can also decrease daytime sleepiness and fatigue.

Sleep apnea involves disruptions in your breathing while you sleep, which can lead to both short-term problems and long-term health complications. Typically, sleep apnea is treated with CPAP, though a doctor may also consider other options, depending on the type and severity of your sleep apnea.

Because sleep apnea can be dangerous when left untreated, it’s important to speak with a doctor if you’re experiencing symptoms such as frequent waking at night, loud snoring, and daytime sleepiness.