What if you stopped breathing for a total of 10 minutes every hour? This may be happening if you have sleep apnea, a common sleep disorder, in which your breathing stops or becomes extremely shallow temporarily. These pauses can last 10 to 20 seconds and can occur more than 30 times per hour! In its most common form, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), the apnea is caused by an airway that is narrowed or blocked.