rephrase and reword the following article: 
Sleep apnea is a common condition that causes your breathing to stop intermittently while asleep.
You may be wondering how serious this is or even asking, “Can sleep apnea kill you?”
It is extremely unlikely for the breathing pauses associated with sleep apnea to cause death.1 Still, sleep apnea can lead to potentially serious health conditions, so it is important to seek treatment options.
This article will discuss  the potential risks of sleep apnea, when it becomes serious, and what you can do about it.
Sleep-related breathing disturbances are fairly common. The most familiar one to most people is snoring. The characteristic sound is caused by vibration in the tissues of your upper airway while you breathe.
It is also possible for you to completely stop breathing for a while. These breathing pauses are called sleep apnea, from the Greek for “no breath.” By definition, apnea events last at least 10 seconds, but they can stretch on for several minutes.2
The most common cause of apnea is the sleep disorder known as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA occurs when the tissues of the upper airway—the tongue, soft palate, and uvula—collapse into the throat and block the normal airflow.
Your body may still make an effort to breathe, with the chest and abdomen moving, but the air can't get past the obstruction. As a result, airflow through your nose and mouth is reduced or cut off during these periods.
