Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a frequently diagnosed sleep disease that causes breathing pauses while sleeping. Sleep apnea , if left untreated, can have a negative influence on your health and well-being.  Sleep apnea develops when your muscles relax during sleep. The soft tissue in the back of the throat collapses and obstructs the airway. Pauses in breathing might range anywhere from 10 seconds to a minute or more.  When the body briefly awakens up to gasp for air, the pauses come to an end. This sequence of breathing pauses continues for the entire night. During that time, a person with severe sleep apnea may experience hundreds of breathing pauses.  These breathing pauses result in significant changes in blood pressure and oxygen levels, as well as sleep fragmentation. Untreated moderate sleep apnea puts a significant amount of stress on the body over time; this puts you at risk for various additional health issues. Types of Sleep Apnea  Obstructive Sleep Apn...