Now usually I think of sleep apnea, because sleep apnea is a condition a lot of people have and it’s preventable.  It’s usually associated with obesity, although there have of course been some cases, just as there are cases of type 2 diabetes, where that was not exactly a factor.  This being said, Hypopnea is a bit different.  With sleep apnea, they stop breathing completely for seconds at a time. 

With Hypopnea, it’s more of shallow breaths to be expected in some ways.  It lasts longer than 10 seconds, and frankly it can cause greater problems in sleeping for obvious reasons, and even after having the right amount of sleep, they continue to be tired and irritable in general.  Snoring is a big sign.  Now there are cases where Hypopnea is just genetics.  However, in most cases there are things you can avoid to avoid aggravating the situation in general. 

This being said, you can for example quit smoking.  This is a must.  Likewise, obesity is generally recognized to play a big part in the condition, though I’ve heard some reports of overblown tonsils having a big part in it.  Exercising regularly and avoiding alcohol can also help, and you should not sleep on your back.  This being said, there are multiple ways, but a big part is losing weight.