Late nights, weekend parties, and too much drinking can create a new sleep issue called “social apnea.” Researchers at Flinders University brought this to light in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. They identified social apnea as the worsening of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) severity on weekends.
This study looked at over 70,000 people from around the world. It found a clear increase in OSA severity on Saturdays compared to Wednesdays. Dr. Lucia Pinilla, a leading researcher in the study, notes that most sleep tests are done during the week, leaving the weekend effects unnoticed.
“Our findings suggest that the impact of sleep apnea might be larger than we thought,” said Dr. Pinilla.
The weekend spike in sleep apnea may lead to serious health risks. Issues like heart problems, depression, and even accidents could increase. The study showed that people are 18% more likely to experience moderate to severe OSA on weekends. Just sleeping an extra 45 minutes on a Saturday can raise the risk of worsening sleep apnea by 47%. Men are hit harder with a 21% risk increase, while women see a 9% increase. Younger adults, especially those under 60, face a 24% higher risk compared to a mere 7% for those over 60.
Professor Danny Eckert from the study emphasizes that this is the first solid evidence showing OSA worsens on weekends. He suggests lifestyle factors like drinking, irregular sleep, and less use of OSA treatments contribute to this trend. “We’re still figuring out the reasons, but it’s a real issue,” he added.
In a related study published in Nature’s Communications Medicine, Dr. Bastien Lechat discusses how OSA severity varies with the seasons. During summer and winter, sleep apnea can worsen by 8% to 19%, attributed to temperature changes affecting sleep quality.
Professor Eckert stresses the importance of better sleep assessments across multiple nights to fully understand sleep variations and improve diagnoses. Relying on single-night tests can lead to missing important patterns in sleep health.
To fight social apnea, sticking to a consistent sleep schedule is crucial. This means trying to sleep and wake at the same times every day, even on weekends. Establishing regular habits can make a big difference.
Sleep apnea is a common disorder affecting about one billion people globally. It can lead to severe health issues like heart disease, diabetes, and cognitive decline. If you’re worried about your sleep patterns, talking to a healthcare provider can help.
For more information, check the full study on the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
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Sleep, Sleep Disorder, Alcohol, Critical Care, Depression, Diagnostic, Heart, Heart Disease, Medical Research, Medicine, Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Public Health, Research, Respiratory, Sleep Apnea, Smoking
