Most people who have sleep apnea have obstructive sleep apnea. However, there is another type of sleep apnea called central sleep apnea. In central sleep apnea, a person stops breathing suddenly too. However, the cause is not an obstructed windpipe; it is the failure of the brain to send signals to the body to breathe. People with central sleep apnea are more likely to remember waking up to breathe. They may also feel shortness of breath and headaches as they wake up.