apnea
n.n. a medical condition where you stop breathing for short periods while you sleep. It can make you feel very tired during the day.
n. a sleep disorder characterized by repeated pauses in breathing during sleep, typically caused by the collapse of the upper airway. Often associated with loud snoring and daytime fatigue.
He was diagnosed with sleep apnea after his wife noticed his breathing stopped.
The doctor recommended a CPAP machine to help manage his sleep apnea and improve his quality of rest.
Untreated sleep apnea can lead to serious cardiovascular complications, as the body experiences frequent drops in oxygen levels throughout the night.
From a- + -pnea, from the New Latin apnoea, from the Ancient Greek ἄπνοια (ápnoia), formed from ἀ- (a-, “absence of”) + πνοή (pnoḗ, “breathing”).