Most people with sleep apnea are middle-aged to older adults, with risk significantly increasing after age 40-50, particularly affecting men before 50 and then becoming more common in women after menopause; roughly 1 in 10 adults have it, and prevalence rises to 30% or more in the elderly, often linked to obesity and age-related changes.
Sleep apnea can reduce life expectancy by increasing the risk of serious health issues. These include high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and depression. Effective management and treatment are essential to mitigate these risks and enhance overall health and longevity.
Sleep apnea usually doesn't go away on its own, as it's often a chronic condition caused by underlying issues like anatomy or weight, but it can often be effectively managed or even resolved through treatments like CPAP, lifestyle changes (weight loss), oral appliances, or surgery, especially if the cause is temporary or addressable. For children, removing tonsils often cures it, but in adults, it's typically long-term but manageable.
Lifestyle habits: Drinking alcohol and smoking can raise your risk for sleep apnea. Alcohol can make the muscles of your mouth and throat relax, which may close your upper airway. Smoking can cause inflammation in your upper airway, which affects breathing. Sex: Sleep apnea is more common in men than women.
You or your partner may notice these common symptoms:
Highlights. Sleep hypopnea is defined as a drop of ≥30% in breathing amplitude and in oxygen saturation >3% (AASMedicine), or >4% (CMMS). This study reveals a systematic bias, with the 3% criterion consistently yielding higher apnea/hypopnea index values.
Sleep apnoea is not automatically classified as a disability in Australia. However, in certain cases especially where symptoms are severe and impact daily life it may qualify for disability support, including the Disability Support Pension (DSP) or National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) assistance.
Sleep apnea is linked to obesity
Rosen, noting that this may also have to do with the rise in recognition for sleep apnea too. But this is “in part because it's very much linked to obesity and obesity is becoming more prevalent,” she said. “They get more airway collapse. They're having poor sleep.
Like many sufferers, Shaq was unaware that he had sleep apnea until his partner told him about his pattern of snoring and gasping for breath. After completing a sleep study and being diagnosed with moderate sleep apnea, Shaq was fitted with a CPAP mask to get a better night's rest.
Can't Get Used To A CPAP? Here Are 6 Alternative Options For Sleep Apnea
A person with OSA has times during sleep in which air cannot flow normally into the lungs. The block in airflow (obstruction) is usually caused by the collapse of the soft tissues in the back of the throat (upper airway) and tongue during sleep.
Sleep apnea can contribute to weight gain and make it harder to lose weight, because disrupted sleep affects metabolism, hormones, and daytime energy levels. Losing weight can reduce sleep apnea severity and improve related symptoms, though weight loss alone often isn't enough to cure sleep apnea.
Yes, sleep apnea pillows can work to improve sleep quality and reduce symptoms by promoting better head/neck alignment to keep airways open, especially for mild cases or positional apnea, and by complementing CPAP therapy by reducing mask leaks and pressure; however, they aren't a cure and should be used alongside professional medical advice, not as a replacement for treatment like CPAP.
Sleeping on your back often worsens apnea, while sleeping on your side may lesson episodes of apnea. When you are lying on your back, your tongue and soft palate tend to fall back to the throat, which can increase breathing difficulties.
Untreated sleep apnea, a condition characterized by frequent pauses in breathing during sleep, can potentially increase the risk of atrial fibrillation and stroke.
How sleep apnea affects your health
The Inspire® implant
The Inspire implant keeps your airway open while you sleep, so you can breathe regularly and sleep soundly.
Arnold Klein said that Jackson used an anesthesiologist to administer propofol to help him sleep while he was on tour in Germany. The anesthesiologist would "take him down" at night and "bring him back up" in the morning during the HIStory World Tour of 1996 and 1997.
Famed “Star Trek” actor William Shatner has publicly acknowledged living with sleep apnea. He credits his CPAP machine with improving his sleep quality and overall health. Now in his 90s, Shatner continues to advocate for sleep apnea awareness, especially among older adults who may not realize they are at risk.
In contrast, two-thirds of patients with mild and moderate disease, as assessed by the 3 nights of testing, would be accurately classified with 1 night of monitoring. The remaining one-third would be either underdiagnosed or overdiagnosed.
Risk factors
A global epidemiological study on the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) conducted in 16 countries revealed that 936 million adults aged 30–69 years had OSA, with 425 million exhibiting moderate-to-severe OSA. The highest prevalence was observed in China, followed by the United States, Brazil, and India.
Coverage details
Medicare may cover a 12-week trial of CPAP therapy (including devices and accessories) if you've been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea.
Driving and sleep apnoea
If sleep apnoea has been confirmed, you must not drive until symptoms like feeling very tired are under control.
You wake up enough to take a few breaths, but not enough to remember it the next morning. This cycle repeats itself many times each night, making you feel tired or exhausted in the morning. When you have OSA, the apnea is caused by an obstruction or blockage.