A recent study warns that global warming will lead to a rise in the prevalence and severity of sleep apnea, resulting in increased health and economic challenges worldwide. The study, published in Nature Communications, reveals that under probable climate change scenarios, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is expected to double in most countries over the next 75 years.

Dr. Bastien Lechat, the lead author and a sleep expert from FHMRI Sleep Health, emphasizes that this study is the first of its kind to explore how global warming will affect breathing during sleep and impact overall health, well-being, and economies globally.

Dr. Lechat explains, "This study sheds light on how environmental factors, such as climate, can influence health by examining the link between ambient temperatures and OSA severity." The study found a 45% increased likelihood of experiencing OSA on nights with higher temperatures, with variations observed across different regions.

Sleep apnea, a condition that disrupts breathing during sleep, affects nearly 1 billion people worldwide. If left untreated or severe, it can lead to various health issues, including dementia, Parkinson's disease, hypertension, cardiovascular problems, anxiety, depression, reduced quality of life, traffic accidents, and increased mortality rates.

In Australia alone, the economic cost associated with poor sleep, including OSA, amounts to $66 billion annually. The study analyzed sleep data from over 116,000 individuals globally using an FDA-cleared under-mattress sensor to estimate OSA severity, matching the data with detailed temperature information from climate models.

Health economics modeling was conducted to quantify the impact of rising temperatures on the prevalence of OSA under different climate scenarios. The study estimated a loss of approximately 800,000 healthy life years across 29 countries due to the increase in OSA prevalence in 2023, with an estimated economic cost of around $98 billion USD.

Professor Danny Eckert, a senior researcher on the paper, notes that the study, while one of the largest of its kind, focused on high socio-economic countries and individuals, potentially underestimating the true health and economic costs.

Professor Eckert stresses the importance of increased diagnosis and treatment of OSA to manage the adverse health and productivity impacts caused by climate-related sleep apnea. Future studies will aim to develop interventions to reduce the effects of ambient temperatures on OSA severity and explore the physiological mechanisms linking temperature fluctuations to OSA severity.