Sleep apnea is a condition where breathing stops and starts repeatedly while you sleep. It’s as if your body momentarily forgets to breathe, leading to interruptions in your sleep that you might not even remember. These pauses can happen because of a blockage in the airway (obstructive sleep apnea) or because the brain isn’t sending the right signals to muscles that control breathing (central sleep apnea). It’s like sleeping with an unseen prankster who occasionally presses pause on your breathing, resulting in poor sleep quality, and daytime tiredness, and can even lead to serious health issues if left unchecked.