Sleep apnea ups risk for mental health struggles, study finds
A new study says people at high risk for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are 40% more likely to develop mental health issues like depression and psychological distress.
Researchers tracked over 30,000 adults aged 45-85 for nearly three years.
Why does this matter?
If you're dealing with sleep problems, it's not just about feeling tired—your mental health could be affected too.
Even among those without previous mental health issues, high OSA risk raised the chance of developing problems by 20%.
The researchers also noticed OSA rates went up during the study, while poor mental health rates dropped a bit.
Who's most at risk?
Women, people with lower incomes, and anyone reporting lower life satisfaction or poorer overall health faced higher odds of new mental health challenges if they were at risk for OSA.
The takeaway: routine screening for both sleep apnea and mental well-being could help catch issues early—especially as we get older.