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Did you know studies show that untreated sleep apnea can increase your biological aging by 215 days? That's nearly an additional year that your body ages due to sleep apnea! Research shows that if you have sleep deprivation, specifically sleep apnea, it may accelerate your body's aging process.
To understand how sleep apnea affects the aging process, it is important to understand two different types of aging. Chronological aging is the amount of years that someone has lived and biological aging measures how your body ages based on many different factors and biomarkers. Undiagnosed sleep apnea affects and speeds up your biological aging process due to sleep disordered breathing.
While you may wake up feeling tired and foggy from undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), your body is at an increased risk of other diseases and disorders that can accelerate aging of your body. The good news? There is something that you can do about it.
Take our free sleep apnea risk assessment to determine if you are at risk for accelerated aging.
Sleep Apnea Symptoms and Effects
Undiagnosed OSA creates both immediate and long-term health issues. Since sleep apnea can take years to diagnose, you might not notice changes happening in your body. Also, while many experience the classic OSA symptoms of snoring or extreme sleepiness, sleep apnea symptoms can also be subtle too - including symptoms like brain fog or low mood and energy that can creep up and interfere with your day-to-day routine.
Over time, untreated sleep apnea can progress to long-term effects such as:
- Type II diabetes
- Stroke
- Heart attacks
- Mood disturbances
- Metabolic dysregulation
- Hormone disruption
- Cognitive decline
Why Sleep Apnea Accelerates Biological Aging
When you live with undiagnosed sleep apnea, your body experiences oxygen deprivation during the night due to the repeated breathing pauses that typically occur with sleep apnea. These episodes can trigger a cascade of harmful processes.
When your body has lower levels of oxygen, your organs and tissues are affected. Your brain uses about 20% of your body’s oxygen supply, and when it doesn't have the proper levels of oxygen, it can lead to dementia-like symptoms, including confusion, memory difficulties, and signs of rapid brain aging. When the body’s tissues do not receive enough oxygen, it can cause inflammation leading to cellular dysfunction which can speed up the aging process. It is by these mechanisms that OSA-induced sleep disruptions and lower oxygen levels during sleep may promote faster biological age acceleration.
Aging is more than just about the wrinkles on the skin or the greys in your hair. When aiming to live a long, full life where you can function at your best, it is critical that all the organs in your body have the proper nutrients and oxygen to keep them functioning at full capacity.
How Sleep Apnea Treatment Can Reverse Your Accelerated Aging
What treatment options do you have if you have sleep apnea to help stop or reverse any accelerated aging that may be occurring? Luckily, by getting diagnosed and treated for sleep apnea, you can reduce the breathing disruptions you experience. Since untreated OSA accelerates the biological aging process, appropriate treatment can slow or possibly even reverse it..
Your treatment can look different depending on your needs. The possible treatment options for OSA include:
- CPAP - Continuous Positive Airway Pressure is the gold standard treatment for sleep apnea. It helps to keep your airways open while you sleep so you can receive the oxygen you need throughout the night.
- Weight loss - It has been shown that 63% of men and 22% of women living with obesity also suffer from OSA. However, even with a 10% weight loss, one study showed a decrease in sleep apnea severity by 26%.
- GLP-1 medication treatment -If clinically appropriate, you may have the option to be prescribed Zepbound®, a GLP-1 medication, which can reduce the severity of sleep apnea and help you lose weight along with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.
- Lifestyle changes - There are many lifestyle changes that can help reduce sleep apnea symptoms, too. These may include different sleeping positions, reducing caffeine and alcohol, and increasing your physical activity.
Your Next Steps to Stop Sleep Apnea from Aging You Faster
Managing sleep apnea can help you reclaim years in your life. When you incorporate proper treatment, you can make a real impact on how your body ages and how energized you feel each day.
At Ognomy Sleep, we understand that everyone’s sleep apnea journey is unique. If you are ready for personalized support, connect with one of our sleep specialists who can help you find the treatment solution that will work best for your lifestyle. Start feeling truly rested and give your body the restorative sleep to age gracefully.
