{"id":34951,"date":"2025-05-20T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-20T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.saatva.com\/?p=34951"},"modified":"2025-05-20T10:25:21","modified_gmt":"2025-05-20T14:25:21","slug":"hypopnea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/hypopnea\/","title":{"rendered":"Hypopnea: The Little-Known Sleep Disorder That Should Be on Your Radar"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

There are a lot of sleep disorders<\/a> out there that can be a barrier to getting the rest you need to feel and function your best. This includes sleep apnea<\/a>, which is arguably one of the most common and well-known sleep disorders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But there\u2019s a lesser-known relative of sleep apnea that could be causing issues with your sleep (and health!) without you even knowing it\u2014and it\u2019s called hypopnea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s take a dive into everything you need to know about this disorder, including a hypopnea definition<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is hypopnea? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

First things first: What is a hypopnea\u2014and what does hypopnea mean?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHypopnea is when your breathing becomes shallow or slows down during sleep with partial blocking of your airflow, lasting at least 10 seconds,\u201d says Shelby Harris<\/a>, PsyD, director of Sleep Health at Sleepopolis. \u201cIt reduces airflow and can drop your oxygen levels, often leaving you feeling tired or groggy the next day.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If it sounds similar to sleep apnea, it\u2019s because, in some ways, it is (more on that later)\u2014and they often go hand-in-hand. \u201c[Hypopnea is] usually part of sleep-related breathing disorders like sleep apnea.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cHypopnea is when your breathing becomes shallow or slows down during sleep with partial blocking of your airflow, lasting at least 10 seconds. It reduces airflow and can drop your oxygen levels, often leaving you feeling tired or groggy the next day.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

– Shelby Harris, PsyD, director of Sleep Health at Sleepopolis<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Types of hypopnea <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are three main types of hypopnea: obstructive, central, and mixed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Obstructive hypopnea<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As the name suggests, obstructive hypopnea happens when something is physically getting in the way of (or, in other words, obstructing) your breathing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cObstructive hypopnea happens when something physically blocks your airway, like relaxed throat muscles,\u201d says Harris. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Central hypopnea<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Central hypopnea is more of a neurological issue. \u201cCentral hypopnea is less common and occurs when the brain doesn\u2019t send the right signals to control your breathing,\u201d says Harris.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mixed hypopnea<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As the name suggests, \u201cMixed hypopnea occurs when there\u2019s a combination of both central and obstructive,\u201d says Harris.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hypopnea vs. sleep apnea: What’s the difference? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As mentioned earlier, there are significant similarities between hypopnea and sleep apnea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBoth hypopnea and apnea disrupt breathing during sleep and lower oxygen levels, leading to poor-quality rest,\u201d says Harris.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, there’s one key difference. \u201cThe main difference is that apnea involves a full stop in breathing, while hypopnea is more of a partial reduction in airflow.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Again, it\u2019s possible (and, in fact, fairly common) to experience hypopnea and<\/em> sleep apnea. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHypopneas can exist within the spectrum of sleep apnea\u2014when someone might have full apneas and hypopnea,\u201d says Harris.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are the symptoms of hypopnea? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Hypopnea happens while you\u2019re asleep\u2014but you\u2019ll feel the impact during your waking hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Harris, common hypopnea symptoms include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n