sleep apnea

American  

[sleep ap-nee-uh] / ˈslip ˈæp ni ə /

noun

Pathology.

1. a condition in which breathing is repeatedly interrupted during sleep due to blockage of the upper airway, causing frequent momentary or partial waking: often a result of obesity or neurological impairment and typically associated with sleepiness during the day.

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sleep apnea Scientific  

1. Apnea caused by upper airway obstruction during sleep, associated with frequent awakening and often with daytime sleepiness. It occurs most often in people who are obese or who have an obstructed respiratory tract or neurological abnormalities.

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Etymology

Origin of sleep apnea

First recorded in 1975–80

Example Sentences

Her requests for coverage have been denied, despite a diagnosis of sleep apnea.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

Researchers are now investigating whether it could also become a drug treatment for sleep apnea.

From Science Daily • Mar. 11, 2026

The drug is also approved to help treat moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea in adults with obesity.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 23, 2026

By his final year on the job, his doctor told him he was dealing with prediabetes, fatty liver disease, metabolic syndrome, sleep apnea, acid reflux, and obesity.

From Salon • Feb. 18, 2026

About 12% of Americans say they are taking a GLP-1 drug, the game-changing medication used to treat conditions like obesity, sleep apnea and Type 2 diabetes.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 23, 2025