How climate change could be ruining your sleep

Climate change is exacerbating obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), a condition characterized by breathing problems during sleep, with hotter nights leading to increased prevalence and severity of the disorder. Researchers found that during heatwaves, the risk of moderate-to-severe OSA rises by 13 percent, and for every 1C increase in nighttime temperature during a heatwave, OSA prevalence increases by about 1 percent. This effect is amplified by high humidity. The study analyzed data from over 67,000 participants across Europe using sleep sensors, comparing their sleep patterns and breathing pauses with local nighttime temperatures over a four-year period. The findings suggest that OSA should be recognized as a chronic disease worsened by climate change, similar to other health issues like heart attacks, suicides, and accidents that have previously been linked to rising temperatures. While the study focused on European countries, researchers believe the impact could be even more significant in regions with hotter climates or more frequent heatwaves. Factors such as housing quality and access to air conditioning may influence the severity of these effects. Future research aims to explore how hot nights impact breathing during sleep, the reasons behind OSA worsening in heat, and potential cooling strategies or behavioral changes to mitigate the i... download the app to read more