Climate Change Linked to Increased Severity of Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Study

San Francisco – A new large-scale study presented on Sunday reveals that rising global temperatures are worsening the severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

The findings, shared at the ATS 2025 International Conference, suggest that under the most likely climate change scenarios, the societal burden of OSA is expected to double across most countries within the next 75 years.

In addition to reinforcing the urgency of limiting global warming, the study also calls for immediate action to address the health and economic consequences of the growing prevalence and severity of OSA, researchers said.

“This study really underscores the growing societal burden caused by the rising prevalence of OSA as temperatures increase,” said Bastien Lechat, Senior Research Fellow at FHMRI: Sleep Health, Flinders University.

Previous research had hinted at a link between higher ambient temperatures and increased OSA severity, but this is the first study to comprehensively describe and quantify that connection.

Researchers analyzed data from over 116,000 global users of a validated under-mattress sensor designed to estimate OSA severity. Each user had approximately 500 nights of data recorded, which researchers then cross-referenced with 24-hour ambient temperature data derived from climate models.

The analysis found that warmer temperatures were associated with a 45% higher likelihood of individuals experiencing OSA symptoms on any given night.

However, the impact varied by region — individuals in Europe experienced more pronounced increases in OSA severity with rising temperatures compared to those in Australia and the United States.

“We were surprised by the strength of the association between ambient temperature and OSA severity,” Dr. Lechat noted.

The team went further to estimate the societal costs of increased OSA due to climate change. Using models that incorporated disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), productivity losses, and healthcare expenses, they assessed the burden of OSA under various climate scenarios.

The projections revealed that if global temperatures rise by 2°C or more, the societal burden of OSA could increase 1.5 to 3 times by the year 2100. Alarmingly, the researchers estimate that climate change has already led to a 50% to 100% increase in the OSA burden since the year 2000.

Beyond adding to the growing body of evidence that climate change poses a serious threat to human health, the study also emphasizes the need for better strategies to diagnose and manage OSA.

“The widespread underdiagnosis and lack of treatment for OSA amplify the impact of climate change on this condition,” Dr. Lechat said. “Improving diagnosis and expanding access to treatment could significantly reduce the health and economic toll of OSA as temperatures continue to rise.”

With inputs from IANS