睡眠呼吸暂停（Sleep Apnea，又译作睡眠呼吸中止症或睡眠呼吸暂停）是一种睡眠时候呼吸停止的睡眠障碍。

根据R&K手册，睡眠时呼吸障碍可分成两种：

无呼吸．低呼吸指数（Apnea-hypopnea Index，AHI）是指平均一小时无呼吸及低呼吸事件的次数。在成人，普遍将AHI高于5诊断为患有睡眠呼吸暂停。在儿童，诊断数值未有定案，有人将AHI高于1.5定义为睡眠呼吸暂停。

Sleep apnea, also spelled sleep apnoea, is a sleep disorder characterized by pauses in breathing or instances of shallow breathing during sleep. Each pause, called apnea, can last for a few seconds to several minutes. For a diagnosis of sleep apnea, more than five episodes an hour must occur. Similarly, each abnormally shallow breathing event is called a hypopnea. Sleep apnea is classified as a dyssomnia. When breathing is paused, carbon dioxide builds up in the bloodstream. Chemoreceptors in the blood stream note the high carbon dioxide levels. The brain is signaled to wake the person sleeping and breathe in air. Breathing normally will restore oxygen levels and the person will fall asleep again. Sleep apnea is often diagnosed with an overnight sleep test called a polysomnogram, or "sleep study".