Obstructive sleep apnea severity varies by season and environmental influences such as ambient temperature.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) severity often varies considerably from night-to-night, but whether environmental factors play a role is unclear. This study investigated seasonal and temperature-related changes in OSA severity.

Methods

Data were acquired from 70,052 participants with an average apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) ≥ 5 events/hour who used an under-mattress sleep sensor at least 4 times/week between January 2020 and September 2023. Fixed effect models were used to investigate the association between AHI and day of the year, adjusting for geographical location, variation in total sleep time, ambient temperature, and air pollution.

Results

Participants are middle-aged (mean ± SD, 53 ± 13 years), predominantly male (81%), overweight (BMI; 29 ± 6 kg/m²

SUBMITTER: Lechat B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12307740 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature