The term breathing-related sleep disorder refers to a spectrum of breathing abnormalities ranging from chronic or habitual snoring to upper airway resistance syndrome (UARS) to frank obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) or, in some cases, obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS).

In adults, there is a male preponderance of OSA during middle age. In women, menopause, pregnancy and polycystic ovaries are associated with increased risk. In children, prevalence ranges between 1 and 4% with habitual snoring prevalence at about 7.45%.

Restless sleep at night is the biggest symptom of this sleep disorder. If the symptoms are ignored, there are many serious dangers that may develop because of sleep apnea. Some of these include high blood pressure,  stroke, heart failure, irregular heartbeats, heart attacks, diabetes, depression, as well as other problems. This is why treatment for sleep apnea is so important if the symptoms of breathing-related sleep disorder appear.

While there may be some physical aspects of treatment for a breathing-related sleep disorder, the power of psychotherapy should not be forgotten. Treatment can require major changes in lifestyle. Appropriate weight management strategies and compliance with either positive airway support or the use of a dental appliance usually represent a lifetime commitment. For this reason, some patients have explored surgical alternatives.