What happents to your body when you stop breathing during sleep?

Reviewed by Yoshinori Abe, MD

Internal Medicine

Sleep apnea is a condition where breathing repeatedly stops during sleep, reducing oxygen levels in the body. These interruptions can jolt you awake throughout the night, leading to poor sleep quality, daytime fatigue, and long-term health risks like high blood pressure and heart problems.

If you're experiencing symptoms like loud snoring, gasping during sleep, or persistent tiredness, it's worth taking a closer look. A free, instant, online symptom check can help you identify possible causes and guide your next steps—whether that's lifestyle changes, seeing a doctor, or exploring a sleep study. Understanding what's happening in your body is the first step toward better sleep and better health.

Reviewed for medical accuracy: 07/20/2026

Important Next Steps

Discover why body stops breathing during sleep Find out if your sleep breathing is serious Learn likely causes of stopped breathing sleep Explore OTC relief for sleep breathing issues Find a doctor for sleep breathing problems Understand medically proven home remedies for sleep apnea See if sleep breathing pauses need care

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Explanation

When you stop breathing during sleep, your body experiences a condition called sleep apnea. This happens when the airway becomes blocked or the brain doesn't send signals to the muscles that control breathing. As a result, your body gets less oxygen, which can make you wake up briefly to start breathing again. This can happen many times during the night, leading to poor sleep quality and feeling tired during the day.

Effects on the Body:

Low Oxygen Levels: The lack of breathing reduces oxygen in the blood, which can affect the heart and brain.
Interrupted Sleep: Frequent waking interrupts the sleep cycle, making it hard to get restful sleep.
Daytime Sleepiness: Because sleep is disrupted, you might feel very tired during the day.

Brain and Heart:

The brain may be affected because it doesn't get enough oxygen. This can lead to problems with thinking and mood.
The heart has to work harder, which can increase the risk of heart problems over time.

If you're experiencing symptoms like disrupted sleep, excessive daytime fatigue, or breathing interruptions during the night, you can check your symptoms with Ubie's free AI-powered symptom checker to better understand what might be happening and determine if you should seek medical care.

(References)

Thurnheer R. (2011). Diagnostic approach to sleep-disordered breathing. Expert review of respiratory medicine, 21859276.
Jun JC, Chopra S, & Schwartz AR. (2016). Sleep apnoea - PubMed - NIH. European respiratory review : an official journal of the European Respiratory Society, 26929416.
Harper RM, Kumar R, Macey PM, Woo MA, & Ogren JA. (2014). Affective brain areas and sleep-disordered breathing - PubMed. Progress in brain research, 24746053.

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