Can sleep apnea cause your tongue to swell?

Sleep apnea is a disorder that causes people to stop breathing for short periods during sleep, called apneas. Apneas usually last between 10 and 30 seconds. In severe cases, apneas can happen many hundreds of times each night. A swollen tongue could cause more apneas in a person with the condition. But sleep apnea itself should not cause a swollen tongue.