A new study suggests that the risk of heart disease in people with sleep apnea may depend on more than just how severe their condition is. It may also depend on how much their breathing problems change from one night to the next.
Sleep apnea is a disorder where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. It affects millions of people worldwide and is often linked to loud snoring and poor sleep quality. Many people with the condition feel tired during the day and may not realize how serious it can be.
Doctors usually diagnose sleep apnea with a single overnight test. This test measures how often breathing is disrupted and gives a score to show how severe the condition is. However, new research from Flinders University suggests that this one-night approach may not be enough.
The study, published in the journal SLEEP, followed more than 3,000 adults who used a home device to monitor their breathing during sleep over several months. This allowed researchers to see how much each person’s sleep apnea changed over time.
They found that people whose sleep apnea varied greatly from night to night had a 30 percent higher chance of having experienced serious heart problems such as heart attack, stroke, or heart failure.
This finding remained even after taking into account the average severity of their condition. This means that variability itself may be an important risk factor.
The reason behind this may be related to how the body responds to repeated changes. When breathing is interrupted, oxygen levels drop and the body becomes stressed. If this happens in an unpredictable pattern, the body may find it harder to adapt.
Over time, this may place extra pressure on the heart and blood vessels. This could increase the risk of long-term damage.
A second study, published in npj Digital Medicine, provides further support. It tracked nearly 30,000 people and found that both severe sleep apnea and large nightly changes were linked to faster aging of blood vessels.
In some cases, people with mild sleep apnea but high variability showed similar levels of blood vessel aging as those with severe disease. This suggests that current testing methods may miss people who are at risk.
The findings also highlight the growing importance of digital health technology. Devices that can monitor sleep at home over many nights provide a more complete picture of a person’s health.
These tools may help doctors identify problems earlier and provide more personalized care.
However, the researchers caution that their findings show association rather than direct cause. More studies are needed to confirm whether reducing variability can lower heart risk.
Even so, the research raises important questions about how sleep apnea should be diagnosed and treated in the future.
For individuals, the message is clear. If you snore regularly, feel tired after sleep, or suspect breathing problems at night, it may be worth seeking medical advice. Early detection can help manage the condition and reduce potential risks.
In conclusion, sleep apnea may be more complex than previously thought. It is not just about how bad it is on average, but how much it changes over time. Paying attention to these patterns could improve how we understand and treat the condition.
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Source: Flinders University.
