What Is Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a condition in which the muscles of the throat relax during sleep and repeatedly block the airway, causing breathing to stop and restart throughout the night. It is the most common type of sleep apnea, affecting an estimated 30 million Americans — and most people who have it don't know. Left untreated, OSA increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and dangerous daytime drowsiness. The good news: it is very treatable, and finding out where you stand is simple.
Learn About Sleep Apnea
Start with any of the guides below to understand your symptoms, risk factors, and what happens if sleep apnea goes untreated.
Symptoms
Loud snoring, daytime fatigue, morning headaches — learn the warning signs of obstructive sleep apnea and when to get tested.
Read GuideCauses & Risk Factors
What causes your airway to collapse during sleep? Understand the anatomical, lifestyle, and genetic risk factors behind OSA.
Read GuideHealth Dangers
Untreated sleep apnea increases your risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and car accidents. Learn why treatment matters.
Read GuideSleep Apnea in Women
Women with sleep apnea are dramatically underdiagnosed because their symptoms look different. Learn the signs that doctors often miss.
Read GuideWhy Do So Many People Have Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is common for a simple reason: the risk factors are common. Airway anatomy you were born with, weight gain around the neck and airway, natural loss of muscle tone with age, and hormonal changes like menopause all make the airway more likely to collapse during sleep. As those factors have become more widespread, so has sleep apnea.
The bigger problem is that most cases are never caught. The defining events — pauses in breathing, drops in oxygen — happen while you're asleep and unaware. People blame stress, aging, or a bad mattress for years before anyone thinks to check their breathing at night. That's why screening matters so much: you can't fix a problem you don't know you have.
Finding out is easier than most people expect. Start with our free 2-minute sleep assessment, or go straight to a home sleep test you take in your own bed. And if you're not sure what your next move should be, our Start Here guide matches your situation to a clear next step.
Sleep Apnea by the Numbers
Americans have OSA
Are undiagnosed
Quit CPAP within a year
Higher car accident risk
Think You Might Have Sleep Apnea?
Take our free 2-minute assessment based on clinical screening criteria. Get your risk level instantly.