Climate change is expected to lead to a rise in the prevalence and severity of sleep apnea, posing significant health and economic challenges worldwide, according to sleep experts from Flinders University.

A recent study published in Nature Communications reveals that increasing temperatures are linked to worsening obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), with the societal burden of OSA projected to double in most countries over the next 75 years under likely climate change scenarios.

Dr. Bastien Lechat, the lead author and a sleep expert at FHMRI Sleep Health, highlights that this study is the first of its kind to explore how global warming affects breathing during sleep and its implications on health, well-being, and the economy.

The study found that higher ambient temperatures were associated with a 45% increased likelihood of experiencing OSA during sleep, with variations across regions such as Europe, Australia, and the United States.

OSA, a condition that disrupts breathing during sleep, affects nearly 1 billion people globally and is linked to various health risks including dementia, cardiovascular disease, anxiety, depression, and reduced quality of life.

In Australia alone, the economic cost of poor sleep, including sleep disorders like OSA, is estimated at $66 billion annually.

The research analyzed sleep data from over 116,000 individuals globally using an FDA-cleared under-mattress sensor to assess OSA severity, matched with detailed temperature information from climate models.

Health economics modeling revealed that the projected increase in OSA prevalence due to rising temperatures could result in a loss of approximately 800,000 healthy life years across 29 countries, with an estimated total economic cost of around $98 billion USD.

Professor Danny Eckert, a senior researcher on the study, emphasizes the need for policy action to mitigate the impact of climate change on OSA and underscores the importance of interventions to diagnose and manage the condition.

The study, titled 'Global warming may increase the burden of obstructive sleep apnea,' was authored by a team of researchers and published in Nature Communications.

These findings were presented at the ATS 2025 International Conference and are supported by National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia Fellowships.