Rising temperatures could increase the chances of experiencing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) by nearly 50 percent by the end of the century, placing a greater burden on society through loss of health, well-being, and productivity. This is the result of a recent investigation into the effects of local temperature increases on obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). In this condition, a person’s airways become blocked while sleeping for more than 10 seconds at least five times an hour throughout the night. The increase in OSA prevalence in 2023 due to global warming was associated with a loss of approximately 800,000 healthy life years across the 29 countries studied. This number is similar to other medical conditions, such as bipolar disorder, Parkinson’s disease, or chronic kidney disease. Because the sleep sensors from which the data were collected are more readily available to people in higher socioeconomic countries and individuals, this study may underestimate the true health and economic cost of OSA exacerbated by climate change. These people may have access to better sleep environments and air conditioning, the researchers point out, mitigating the effect of temperature on their sleep.
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Thursday, June 26, 2025