sleep apnea

noun

Definition of sleep apnea

: apnea that recurs during sleep and is caused especially by obstruction of the airway or a disturbance in the brain's respiratory center

Examples of sleep apnea in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Blount acknowledges that there are people who suffer legitimate medical sleep disorders, including insomnia and sleep apnea. — Katie Parsons, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Americans aren't sleeping enough, but early risers might live longer," 31 May 2018 There was high blood pressure, sleep apnea, tension headaches, constant upset stomach and chronic back pain. — Ryan Bergeron, CNN, "Wall Street worker trades in finance job to write young adult fiction," 15 June 2018 Boyd, who won the third season of the reality competition show in 2008, was found by responding officers in bed with a sleep apnea mask on his face. — Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE.com, "America's Got Talent Winner Neal E. Boyd Was Found Dead by His Mother: Report," 26 June 2018 The American Academy of Sleep Medicine now estimates that 12 percent of adults have sleep apnea. — Sarah Gantz, Philly.com, "The high cost of getting a good night's sleep," 6 June 2018 French’s medical issues included sleep apnea, high blood pressure and acid reflux, family members said. — Katy Moeller, idahostatesman, "Family of missing Boise man says sheriff notified them of human bone found in river," 6 June 2018 He later was diagnosed with sleep apnea that was contributing to his hypertension. — Michael Dresser, baltimoresun.com, "Democrat Ben Jealous pitches health care for all, free college tuition in bid for Maryland governor," 18 May 2018 Other risk factors for enuresis are breathing problems such as sleep apnea, or neuropsychiatric disorders such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or anxiety. — Wendy Glaberson, M.d., miamiherald, "What can I do about my child's bedwetting? | Miami Herald," 10 Apr. 2018 More than 18 million American adults have sleep apnea, according to the National Sleep Foundation. — Shari Rudavsky, Indianapolis Star, "Apnea woes? New implanted device may restore uninterrupted sleep," 27 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sleep apnea.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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The first known use of sleep apnea was in 1975

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sleep apnea

noun

Medical Definition of sleep apnea

: brief periods of recurrent cessation of breathing during sleep that is caused especially by obstruction of the airway or a disturbance in the brain's respiratory center and is associated especially with excessive daytime sleepiness