One hundred million people worldwide have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a disorder characterized by collapse of the upper airway and repeated pauses in breathing throughout sleep(1-5). Sleep fragmentation caused by sleep apnea can lead to daytime sleepiness(2, 4, 6, 7), increased risk for motor accidents(2, 6), and reduced quality of life. The physiological changes associated with these pauses are believed to contribute to the development of hypertension(2-4), diabetes mellitus(2), obesity(2), stroke(2, 3), and heart disease(2, 3).