Usually when you sleep, the muscles that control the upper airway relaxes, this is normal. However, if they relax too much the airway narrows and you snore. The muscles can relax even further causing a blockage of the airway and you actually stop breathing. This is called “Obstructive Sleep Apnea” (OSA). Other factors can cause this as well. An enlarged uvula or swollen tonsils, a nasal obstruction or certain facial attributes can also cause OSA. Each episode can last ten seconds or more and has been known to happen hundreds of times a night disrupting your sleep without you even being aware that it’s happening.