In short, the word "Apnea" means: Without Breath.
So sleep apnea means without breath during sleep.
Some people feel like they are suffocating while sleeping. This feeling is most common with severe sleep apnea.

There are two main types of sleep apnea:

1. Obstructive Sleep Apnea: This is when breathing is interrupted by a mechanical obstruction blocking airflow. The tongue is often what is too far back in an airway that gets pulled back restricting airflow. When people snore, the snoring gradually gets louder and louder as the tongue is getting pulled back gradually until the person wakes up to breath better or someone else wakes them up due to the noise. Some people say that sleep apnea is your body choking on itself or choking on your tongue at night.

2. Central Sleep Apnea: Breathing stopping because of a neurological condition. Your brain forgetting to initiate breathing for a short period.

There are other conditions that people have before the y get sleep apnea.

These are:

1. UARS - Upper Airway Respiratory Syndrome
2. Sleep Disordered Breathing
3. Insomnia