In a new study, researchers found that increased physical activity is linked to a lower risk of obstructive sleep apnea, a common sleep-related breathing disorder.
The study is the largest to date focused on the relationship between sleep apnea and levels of physical activity in the general community.
The research was conducted by a team at the University of Adelaide in Australia.
It is estimated that more than 29 million American adults have sleep apnea, many of them undiagnosed.
Untreated sleep apnea is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and other potentially serious conditions.
In the study, the researchers reviewed lifestyle, medical, socio-demographic, and sleep health data collected from more than 155,000 adults participating in the Ontario Health Study.
Based on the physical activity of participants with and without sleep apnea, the team determined that a modest increase in physical activity, including walking, is linked to a 10% reduction in the risk of developing sleep apnea.
The results highlight the importance of physical activity as a preventive measure against developing sleep apnea.
One surprising finding was that not only vigorous physical activity but also just walking alone was linked to a decreased risk of sleep apnea.
The authors found that adding 20 minutes to a daily walk and increasing vigorous daily activity by eight minutes would be enough to achieve a lower sleep apnea risk.
The finding is independent of other known risk factors for sleep apnea such as sex, age, ethnicity, and obesity.
The team says exercise is one important protective factor and has many other positive effects on general health. Sleep health care professionals should be trying to get their patients to exercise more.
One author of the study is Lyle Palmer, a professor of genetic epidemiology.
The study is published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.
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