As many as 18 million Americans have sleep apnea--brief interruptions of breathing during sleep. Four percent of middle-aged men and 2 percent of middle-aged women have sleep apnea along with excessive daytime drowsiness. In a given night, the number of involuntary breathing pauses, called apneic events, may be as high as 20 to 30 or more per hour.
Cover Story
American Psychological Association. (2001, October 1). Sleep apnea. Monitor on Psychology, 32(9). https://www.apa.org/monitor/oct01/sleepapnea
Further Reading
Source: National Center on Sleep Disorders Research, National Institutes of Health
