Archive · 29 Dec 2025
Sleep Apnoea Linked to Higher Mental Health Risks
A big study in Canada looked at older adults and found that people with sleep apnoea have a higher chance of having problems like anxiety and mood disorders.
Sleep apnoea is when your throat muscles relax too much while you sleep, making it hard to breathe.
This can make you feel very tired during the day.
The study found that people with sleep apnoea are about 40% more likely to have mental health issues.
This was true both at the start of the study and after a few years.
The researchers think it's important to check older adults for mental health problems if they have sleep apnoea.
They also think more studies should look at how to prevent these problems.
A study of over 30,000 older adults in Canada linked sleep apnoea to a 40% higher risk of mental health conditions like anxiety and mood disorders.
Obstructive sleep apnoea causes throat muscles to relax and narrow airways during sleep, leading to poor sleep quality and daytime fatigue.
The study, published in JAMA Network Open, found that the increased risk of mental health disorders linked to sleep apnoea is consistent over time.
Women, people with lower income, and those with poorer health and life satisfaction were more likely to develop new mental health conditions.
Researchers recommend systematic mental health screening for older adults at risk of sleep apnoea and further studies on prevention measures.
- Who
- Older adults aged 45-85 in Canada
- What
- A study linking sleep apnoea to increased mental health risks
- When
- Published in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Network Open
- Where
- Canada
- Why
- To understand the long-term impact of sleep apnoea on mental health
- Study Location
- Canada
- Participants
- 30,097
- Average Follow-Up Duration
- 3 years
- Increased Risk of Mental Health Conditions
- 40%
- Journal
- JAMA Network Open