Sleep-Related Breathing Disorders

Sleep-related breathing disorders include conditions that change how a person breathes during sleep. Breathing might slow down, become shallow, or stop repeatedly for short durations during the night. These breathing interruptions cause micro-arousals – brief, often unnoticed waking to lighter levels of sleep – that lead to sleep fragmentation. 

Breathing issues can also cause drops in oxygen levels, and increases in levels of carbon dioxide (hypercapnia). These disruptions can make it hard for the body to get the restorative, restful sleep it needs, even if a person does not fully wake up or remember it happening. 

This page explains what sleep-related breathing disorders are, what symptoms may look like, which conditions may be involved, and when to seek support. 

People with sleep-disordered breathing may experience a range of symptoms across both day and night. The experience can be highly individual and some people notice very few obvious nighttime symptoms. Sometimes a bed partner notices breathing symptoms during sleep before the person experiencing them does. 

Common nighttime symptoms include:

• Loud, frequent, or disruptive snoring
• Pauses in breathing noticed by another person
• Gasping, choking, or snorting during sleep
• Restless, fragmented, or unrefreshing sleep

Common daytime symptoms include:

• Morning headaches or dry mouth
• Daytime sleepiness, napping, or fatigue
• Trouble with concentration, memory, mood, or motivation
• Drowsy driving or safety concerns
• High blood pressure or other cardiometabolic concerns

Common symptoms in children and teens:

Children and teens often show many of the same symptoms, including snoring, restless sleep, mouth breathing, bedwetting, behavioral changes, learning concerns, morning headaches, or daytime sleepiness. It is important to seek care with a pediatrician if your child or teen is showing these symptoms. Read more on our pediatric obstructive sleep apnea page.

Sleep-disordered breathing can also affect family members or bed partners and impact relationships. There is clear evidence that sleep apnea is linked to erectile and sexual dysfunction in both men and women. 

In a household, loud snoring can also disrupt other householder’s nights and increase stress as everyone feels the effects of poor sleep and altered circadian rhythms. For children and teens, sleep-related breathing problems can affect behavior, learning, mood, growth, and family routines. This in turn has flow-on effects for their development, socialization and school participation.

Identifying a treating sleep-related breathing disorder improves both the daytime and the nighttime. Taking steps to receive care, is one of the best things you can do for your health, and those of your loved ones and householders. Understanding how days and nights connect provides an opportunity to own all 24 hours and optimize your wellbeing.

You do not need to know which sleep disorder you might have before asking for help. If you experience persistent snoring, breathing pauses during sleep, or excessive daytime sleepiness, speak with a healthcare professional. Early assessment can help identify the cause and guide appropriate treatment.

Red flag: Seek emergency medical care if you experience severe shortness of breath, chest pain, fainting, sudden confusion, or new weakness or difficulty speaking.

A primary care clinician is a good place to start if you suspect a sleep-related breathing disorder. They can review your symptoms and medical history and recommend appropriate testing.

Diagnosis often involves a sleep study. Depending on your symptoms and medical history, this may be a home sleep apnea test or an overnight study in a sleep center, known as polysomnography. Home tests are suitable for certain people with suspected obstructive sleep apnea, while other breathing disorders may require more detailed testing. Learn more on the Diagnosing Sleep Disorders page.

Preparing for an appointment

To ensure you are prepared for a medical appointment, it can be helpful to use WSCN’s Preparing to meet your new healthcare provider checklist. 

Treatment depends on the type of sleep-related breathing disorder, its severity, and a person’s overall health. Many effective treatments are available to improve breathing during sleep and support better sleep quality.

Depending on the condition, treatment options may include:

• Positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy: Devices such as CPAP help keep the airway open during sleep. Other forms of PAP may be used for certain breathing disorders.
• Oral appliances: Custom-fitted devices that help keep the airway open during sleep, particularly for some people with obstructive sleep apnea.
• Lifestyle and medical management: Weight management, treatment of nasal obstruction or allergies, and reviewing medications that may affect breathing.
• Surgery or other procedures: Considered in selected cases, depending on the underlying cause.

Children with sleep-related breathing disorders may require different treatments, guided by a pediatric healthcare professional.

A healthcare professional can help determine the most appropriate approach. Learn more about specific treatments on our Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Central Sleep Apnea in Adults pages.