2. Ben visits his doctor because his wife notices that sometimes at night he stops breathing. It only lasts a
few seconds and then he seems to startle himself back into breathing again What medical terms would
you use to describe what Ben is experiencing? Break down the meaning of the terms. Then explain what is
happening in Ben's body to produce these symptoms.

I think Ben is experiencing sleep apnea. First word sleep is obviously related to the state of rest where we “recharge” over night.
Apnea:
The “a” in apnea refers to “the absence of” and “pnea” relating to the pulmonary and respiratory system. The whole term “apnea” means the temporary absence or delay of breathing!

There are two types of sleep apnea, obstructive and central. With obstructive sleep apnea the muscles that keep the airway open relax and your airway narrows causing you to breath more shallowly or to stop breathing. In central sleep apnea your brain feels to transmit signals to your “breathing muscles” and the muscles do not contract or function causing you to stop breathing