Sleep apnea (apnea from the Greek meaning “without breath”) is a sleep disorder characterized by frequent pauses of breathing during sleep. These pauses can occur up to a hundred times a night, and can last as long as a minute each.
Generally, sleep apnea is a chronic disorder, meaning once diagnosed, it lasts a lifetime. According to the National Institutes of Health, there are no sleep apnea cures. Treatments exist, however, that so dramatically reduce the severity of the disorder, that the patient is “cured” of many of the effects of sleep apnea.