Of the 22 million sleep apnea diagnoses each year, more than half are men. However, that does not mean that women do not have serious sleep disorders. It can cause you to hold your breath or become very shallow due to short bursts during sleep.
Substantial evidence in recent years suggests that women have a higher prevalence of sleep apnea than previously believed. The Women’s Health Research Association estimates that one in five women suffers from sleep apnea. The majority (9 out of 10) are unaware of their condition, which increases the risk of serious health conditions.
How sleep apnea differs between women and men
Women and men experience the most common and potentially dangerous type of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This was not fully understood until recently. 2020 research sleepWritten by Dr. Christine Wong, MD, director of the Women’s Sleep Health Program in New Haven, New Haven, Connecticut, she examined gender differences in obstructive sleep apnea and determined that it was related to two factors. ..
Women are more likely to have sleep apnea during REM sleep than non-REM sleep.. REM sleep refers to “REM sleep,” which is a dream-like sleep period in which more brain energy is used. NREM, which is “non-REM sleep,” occurs before REM and is lighter sleep, consisting of three stages. “REM sleep averages about 20% of our sleep time, so this may mean that women have a low total number of apneas all night,” says Dr. Wong. “But during REM sleep, apnea tends to be more severe, which means it is longer and is accompanied by a significant decrease in oxygen levels.”
Women may be prone to upper airway resistance syndromeA disorder that is more destructive but less severe than sleep apnea. “In this disorder, women have snoring and a collapsible airway, but no candid apnea (a breathing event in which breathing stops completely), and there is no drop in oxygen levels,” she says. Snoring. Airway resistance still leads to awakening and sleep fragmentation.
Dr. Wong points out another difference. Women are more likely to wake up from apnea than men and have more sleep disorders.
Why women are underdiagnosed with OSA compared to men
Dr. Wong argues that sleep apnea is diagnosed in far fewer women than men because of the way the disease is defined.
“Obstructive sleep apnea is diagnosed when there are more than five events per hour of sleep on average,” says Dr. Wong. “Women may be less likely to have sleep apnea during non-REM sleep, but they have as much sleep apnea during REM sleep as men.” However, REM sleep is 20 of the total sleep time. The average number of events per night for women is lower than that for men, making it difficult to diagnose because it accounts for only%.
However, sleep apnea during REM sleep is known to be an important risk factor for people with cardiovascular disease, regardless of what is happening during non-REM sleep. “Therefore, current methods of identifying and diagnosing OSA can lead to under-detection of the actual illness in women,” says Dr. Wong.
In addition, women are more likely to end sleep apnea by waking up from sleep. “This means that the decrease in oxygen levels associated with sleep apnea may be less common or less severe in women. Therefore, sleep apnea is less appreciated in women. “Dr. Wong says.
Again, these frequent sleep disorders caused by sleep apnea can also be important mediators of cardiovascular disease. “Therefore, if you do not catch or count these types of sleep apnea events when making a diagnosis (like many home sleep apnea tests), you may not be able to recognize a woman’s illness.”
Impact of underdiagnosis on women’s health
Underdiagnosis can have serious implications for women’s health, as obstructive sleep apnea is less likely to be detected in women than in men. Recent studies have shown that sleep apnea during REM sleep is a risk factor for hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases, regardless of what is happening in non-REM sleep.
“Therefore, women may have fewer sleep apnea events throughout their sleep period, but women appear to have as many sleep apnea events during REM sleep as men do. You may be susceptible to adverse effects of breathing. ”
Sleep apnea is a complication of asthma, atrial fibrillation, cancer, chronic kidney disease, cognitive and behavioral disorders, heart and vascular disease (heart attack, heart failure, hypertension and stroke), eye disorders, metabolic status, and pregnancy. Even.
Risk Factors for Sleep Apnea in Women
Obesity is a very strong risk factor for OSA in both men and women. In addition, Dr. Wong states that female hormonal status contributes to OSA. As a result, women are more likely to develop OSA later in life. “Women’s risk of sleep apnea increases significantly after menopause,” she says. “Female hormones may protect women from the more commonly occurring non-REM sleep apnea in men.”
Sleep apnea symptoms in women
Sleep apnea looks different in men and women, so it’s not surprising that the symptoms vary by gender. Snoring, gasping, and witnessed apnea are typical symptoms often seen in men, but the symptoms are slightly different in women.
“Women may also have these symptoms, but they may also have fewer” classic “symptoms such as insomnia, sleep fragmentation, depression, malaise, and morning headaches,” Wong said. The doctor says.
If you have symptoms of sleep apnea, contact your healthcare provider as soon as possible. Sleep apnea is usually diagnosed based on medical history, physical examination, and the results of sleep studies. These can be set by your doctor. Alternatively, they may refer you to a sleep specialist or center to do your research.
Source
Sleep apnea information for clinicians.American Sleep Apnea Association.. Accessed on May 13, 2021.
Sleep apnea.. National Library of Medicine, Medline. Accessed on May 13, 2021.
Sleep apnea with women.. Women’s Health Study Group. Accessed on May 23, 2021.
Won CHJ, Reid M, Sofer T and more. Gender differences in the phenotype of obstructive sleep apnea, a multiethnic study of atherosclerosis.. sleep.. 2020; 43 (5): zsz274.
Mokhlesi B, Varga AW Obstructive sleep apnea and cardiovascular disease. REM sleep is important! Am J Respir Crit Care Med.. 2018; 197 (5): 554–556.
Sleep apnea.. National Institute of Cardiopulmonary Blood. Accessed on June 6, 2021.
