Sleep Apnea - Not All Bad?
A well-known cause of snoring is Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). This condition is potentially life-threatening and has been linked with higher chance of heart attack and stroke.
Now the Telegraph reports on surprising new research that suggests OSA might actually be associated with longer life in some older people.
The study followed people aged over 65 for four years and found that people with moderate sleep apnea were actually more likely to still be alive. For light and serious OSA sufferers mortality rates were the same as for the general population.
The reason for this surprising result is unknown. One suggestion is "ischemic reconditioning": the experience of dealing with minor system shocks induced by sleep apnea trains the body to better resist major shocks such as heart attack.
It's important to remember correlation does not necessarily imply causality, there could be other factors at work. However the research does suggest that perhaps in some people medical treatment for sleep apnea might not always be the best option.
As always your first step should be to consult your doctor.
Now the Telegraph reports on surprising new research that suggests OSA might actually be associated with longer life in some older people.
The study followed people aged over 65 for four years and found that people with moderate sleep apnea were actually more likely to still be alive. For light and serious OSA sufferers mortality rates were the same as for the general population.
The reason for this surprising result is unknown. One suggestion is "ischemic reconditioning": the experience of dealing with minor system shocks induced by sleep apnea trains the body to better resist major shocks such as heart attack.
It's important to remember correlation does not necessarily imply causality, there could be other factors at work. However the research does suggest that perhaps in some people medical treatment for sleep apnea might not always be the best option.
As always your first step should be to consult your doctor.
Labels: sleep apnea, snoring
