Global warming may make sleep apnoea worse and widespread, warns study

From 788,000 lost healthy years to $98 billion in damages, climate-linked sleep apnoea surge could become a hidden global crisis, says a new study

Ever feel like you sleep worse on hotter nights? According to a new study, high ambient temperatures are associated with reduced sleep duration and quality.

 

The study titled “Global warming may increase the burden of obstructive sleep apnea”, published in the journal Nature Communications, reveals that rising temperatures don’t just make it harder to fall asleep—they could also make a common sleep disorder, obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), more widespread and severe.

 

Researchers analysed over 62 million nights of sleep data from more than 116,000 people across 41 countries and found that the risk of having OSA increases by 45 per cent on hotter days. If global warming continues at its current pace, the burden of sleep apnoea could more than double by 2100, the study warned.

What is obstructive sleep apnoea and why is it serious?

According to the Cleveland Clinic, obstructive sleep apnoea is a common but serious disorder in which throat muscles relax and block the airway during sleep, causing repeated interruptions in breathing. It affects nearly a billion people globally and is linked to heart disease, diabetes, depression, and increased accident risk due to fatigue.

 

Severity is measured by how many apnoea and hypopnoea events occur per hour of sleep.

India and low-income countries at greater risk

The study found that countries with lower GDP per capita, such as India, Brazil, and Israel, were more vulnerable due to limited access to air conditioning and healthcare for sleep disorders.

 

Who is most vulnerable to heat-related OSA?

• People with higher body mass index (BMI) and males showed greater vulnerability 
• Risk did not vary significantly with age 
• Individuals with longer sleep durations were more susceptible to heat-related OSA

How bad could the economic impact be?

Higher ambient temperatures increased the probability of OSA by 45 per cent and the risk of severe OSA by 49 per cent.

 

Using disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) to measure health impact, the study reported:

• Over 780,000 healthy years lost across 29 countries in 2023 
• $98 billion in damages, including $68 billion in health costs and $30 billion from productivity losses 
• 80 million more days worked at reduced capacity 
• 25 million additional absenteeism days

What the study recommends

The study calls for urgent action to limit global warming to under 1.5°C, as outlined in the Paris Agreement. It also highlights the need for better diagnosis, awareness, and access to treatment for sleep apnoea, which remains severely underdiagnosed worldwide.  For more health updates, follow #HealthWithBS 

This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.