Sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts. If you or anyone you know snore(s) really loudly or feel(s) tired even after a full nights sleep, it might be time to get checked for sleep apnea.

The main types of sleep apnea are:

Obstructive sleep apnea – the more common type that occurs when throat muscles relax.

Central sleep apnea – occurs when the brain doesn’t send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing.

Finally, complex sleep apnea syndrome – also known as treatment emergent central sleep apnea, which  occurs when someone has both obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea.

Common symptoms include: 

Loud snoring

Episodes in which one stops breathing during sleep

Gasping for air during sleep

Awakening with a dry mouth

Morning headache

Trouble falling or staying asleep

Excessive day-time sleepiness

Difficulty paying attention while awake

Irritability

Complications

Sleep apnea disorder can cause complications like day-time fatigue, high blood pressure or heart problem,  type two diabetes, metabolic syndrome, complications with medications and surgeries, and liver problems.

If you think you might have sleep apnea, see your doctor. Treatment can ease your symptoms and might help prevent heart problems and other major complications.

Source: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/sleep-apnea