What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS)?
Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a debilitating sleep and breathing disorder defined as the cessation of breathing for 10 seconds or more (an apnea) at least five times per hour of sleep. Primarily affecting middle-aged, overweight males, it is characterized by frequent and regular episodes of obstructed breathing during sleep. During sleep, the body’s muscles relax, which can cause excess tissue to collapse into the upper airway (back of the mouth, nose and throat) and block breathing. When breathing is interrupted by an obstruction in the airway, the body reacts by waking enough to start breathing again. These arousals may occur hundreds of times each night but do not fully awaken the person, who remains unaware of the loud snoring, choking and gasping for air that is typically associated with obstructive sleep apnea. Afterward, the person quickly falls asleep again, and the pattern is repeated. During each of these breathless periods, the level of oxygen in the blood falls
