Wilkinson notices that her middle-aged husband stops breathing in his sleep, awakens slightly to gulp in air, then goes back to sleep. This happens several times a night. Mr. Wilkinson is displaying symptoms of which of the following sleep disorders?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The symptoms described suggest that Mr. Wilkinson is experiencing obstructive sleep apnea, which is characterized by pauses in breathing during sleep. The awakening and gasping for air is a characteristic feature of this disorder. REM sleep behavior disorder involves physically acting out dreams during REM sleep, microsleeps are brief episodes of sleep that occur during waking hours due to sleep deprivation, and narcolepsy is a disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and sudden sleep attacks. None of these seem to fit the symptoms.

Wilkinson Notices That Her Middle-Aged Husband Stops Breathing in His