Sleep Apnea
Understanding obstructive and central sleep apnea, diagnosis, CPAP therapy, mask selection, compliance strategies, and alternative treatments.
New here? Read these in order
- 1Understanding Sleep Apnea: Types, Symptoms, and Treatment OptionsWhat obstructive and central sleep apnea are, and how each is treated
- 2Understanding Your Sleep Study: What to Expect Before, During, and AfterWhat the test involves and what the results mean
- 3CPAP Setup Guide: Getting Started With Your New MachineGetting started with the most effective treatment
- 4Positional Therapy for Sleep Apnea: Side Sleeping and PositionersAn option when the apnea happens mainly on your back
- 5The Health Effects of Sleep Apnea: What Untreated OSA Does to the BodyWhy untreated apnea matters for the heart and brain
See it work
All interactive guidesInteractive guides on this topic.
The airway closes, and four signals find out at different times
Between the back of the nose and the top of the larynx there is no bone holding the airway open — only muscle, and sleep turns the muscle down. Choose a mild, moderate or severe airway, set the arousal threshold, the sleep stage and which way the sleeper is lying, then watch the EEG, the airflow, the chest belt and the oximeter disagree about when the event happened — and about what it cost. Then put the CPAP mask on and watch the airway held open from the inside.
Open the guideBreathing during sleep, breath by breath
One loop keeps you breathing all night: the throat, the chest and belly, the blood and the brain. Start with a normal night, then close the airway with a button and watch the chest pull, the oxygen fall and a brief wake up open the throat again. Switch to obstructive sleep apnea, mild to severe, or central sleep apnea, and try CPAP and the other treatments. A section for clinicians adds heart failure breathing, high altitude, opioid pain pills and the loop's settings.
Open the guideHow CPAP works: follow the air
Follow the air from the filter at the back of a CPAP machine through the fan, the water tank, the hose and the mask, into the nose and down to the lungs. Watch the mask vent carry away each breath you breathe out, then turn the pressure down or take the mask off and watch the throat close.
Open the guideArticles
The Health Effects of Sleep Apnea: What Untreated OSA Does to the Body
Untreated sleep apnea reaches far beyond tiredness. What the research shows about its effects on the heart, brain, metabolism, and mood.
Positional Therapy for Sleep Apnea: Side Sleeping and Positioners
Sleep apnea that is worse on your back often improves on your side. Who positional therapy suits, how well it works, and the positioners that keep you there.
CPAP Setup Guide: Getting Started With Your New Machine
Setting up CPAP and getting through the first two weeks: finding a mask that fits, comfort settings like ramp and pressure relief, what 'enough' use means, and who to call.
Understanding Sleep Apnea: Types, Symptoms, and Treatment Options
A comprehensive patient guide to obstructive and central sleep apnea — what causes it, how it's diagnosed, and the treatment options available.
Understanding Your Sleep Study: What to Expect Before, During, and After
A complete patient guide to polysomnography (PSG) and home sleep tests. Learn what happens during a sleep study and how to read your results.