What dangerous sleep disorder occurs when a person's air passages are obstructed during sleep?

Sleep apnea is characterized by repeated interruptions in breathing during sleep due to blocked air passages. This condition can occur when the muscles in the throat relax excessively during sleep, leading to obstructed airways. As a result, the affected individual may experience loud snoring, gasping, or choking sensations, which disturb their sleep cycle and can lead to significant daytime fatigue and other health issues, such as increased risk for cardiovascular problems.

In contrast, narcolepsy is marked by overwhelming daytime sleepiness and sudden sleep attacks. Insomnia refers to difficulty falling or staying asleep, while parasomnia involves abnormal behaviors during sleep, such as sleepwalking or nightmares. These conditions do not specifically involve the obstruction of air passages and thus do not relate to the same physiological mechanism that defines sleep apnea.