A few months ago, my blog entitled, “Who’s Suffering More from Lack of Sleep — Men or Women?”
discussed “the sleep battle of the sexes,” specifically, who suffers
more from sleep disorders — men or women? In that blog, I made the point
that, while men are generally more likely to suffer from obstructive
sleep apnea (OSA) than women, men are also more likely to get tested and
treated for the disorder.
That’s not good, because we are learning that many more women than previously thought suffer from OSA, and leaving it unchecked can have dire consequences on a woman’s cardiovascular health.
I read a recent women and sleep apnea study out of Spain that said that women with untreated severe OSA are three and a half times more likely to die from cardiovascular disease than women without OSA. Three and a half times!
Thankfully, the study also showed that women who treat their severe sleep apnea at night with a technique called continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) significantly reduce their risk of heart attack-related deaths to about the same risk level as women without OSA.
The study was conducted by Dr. Francisco Campos-Rodriguez, director of the sleep-disordered breathing unit at Valme University Hospital in Seville, Spain. To read a summary of the study, go to the Annals of Internal Medicine.
The research is a wake-up call to both patients and doctors because it is the first published results that link OSA to cardiovascular death in women, and that CPAP treatment can reduce OSA-related mortality risk.
It also shines a light on the need for more research regarding sleep apnea and women, as well as the need for women to take their symptoms seriously, and not just consider OSA “a man’s disease.”
What Women Should Know About Sleep Apnea
So how do you know you may have obstructive sleep apnea? Some common symptoms include snoring, paused breathing during sleep and excessive sleepiness during the day. Increased blood pressure is another sign you may have sleep apnea.
While sleep apnea is more common in men, OSA increases in women after age 50. According to the National Sleep Foundation, one in four women over age 65 have sleep apnea.
Being overweight also increases a woman’s risk of having sleep apnea. Menopausal women are three and a half times more likely to get OSA, possible due to reduced amounts of progesterone.
If you have any of the symptoms mentioned above, and suspect that you may have sleep apnea, please get checked out by a doctor who specializes in sleep disorders. Be specific about the symptoms you are experiencing. Many times, sleep apnea can be misdiagnosed in women as chronic fatigue, insomnia, depression, or some other non-specific condition.
Also, some doctors still associate sleep apnea more with men than women, and are too quick to prescribe a medication, rather than do a full sleep disorder work up. Again, to try and avoid misdiagnosis, go to a qualified sleep specialist and be specific about your symptoms. Don’t wait — it could save your life.
That’s not good, because we are learning that many more women than previously thought suffer from OSA, and leaving it unchecked can have dire consequences on a woman’s cardiovascular health.
I read a recent women and sleep apnea study out of Spain that said that women with untreated severe OSA are three and a half times more likely to die from cardiovascular disease than women without OSA. Three and a half times!
Thankfully, the study also showed that women who treat their severe sleep apnea at night with a technique called continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) significantly reduce their risk of heart attack-related deaths to about the same risk level as women without OSA.
The study was conducted by Dr. Francisco Campos-Rodriguez, director of the sleep-disordered breathing unit at Valme University Hospital in Seville, Spain. To read a summary of the study, go to the Annals of Internal Medicine.
The research is a wake-up call to both patients and doctors because it is the first published results that link OSA to cardiovascular death in women, and that CPAP treatment can reduce OSA-related mortality risk.
It also shines a light on the need for more research regarding sleep apnea and women, as well as the need for women to take their symptoms seriously, and not just consider OSA “a man’s disease.”
What Women Should Know About Sleep Apnea
So how do you know you may have obstructive sleep apnea? Some common symptoms include snoring, paused breathing during sleep and excessive sleepiness during the day. Increased blood pressure is another sign you may have sleep apnea.
While sleep apnea is more common in men, OSA increases in women after age 50. According to the National Sleep Foundation, one in four women over age 65 have sleep apnea.
Being overweight also increases a woman’s risk of having sleep apnea. Menopausal women are three and a half times more likely to get OSA, possible due to reduced amounts of progesterone.
If you have any of the symptoms mentioned above, and suspect that you may have sleep apnea, please get checked out by a doctor who specializes in sleep disorders. Be specific about the symptoms you are experiencing. Many times, sleep apnea can be misdiagnosed in women as chronic fatigue, insomnia, depression, or some other non-specific condition.
Also, some doctors still associate sleep apnea more with men than women, and are too quick to prescribe a medication, rather than do a full sleep disorder work up. Again, to try and avoid misdiagnosis, go to a qualified sleep specialist and be specific about your symptoms. Don’t wait — it could save your life.
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