Impact of Rising Temperatures on Obstructive Sleep Apnea Severity

Recent research presented at the ATS 2025 International Conference has revealed a significant connection between rising temperatures and the worsening severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This comprehensive study, published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, indicates that the prevalence and severity of OSA are poised to double in many countries over the next 75 years if current climate trends continue.

Researchers emphasize that these findings underscore the urgent need to address global warming and implement strategies to mitigate the health and economic consequences of OSA, which is becoming increasingly common and severe. The study's lead researcher, a senior research fellow at Flinders University, commented on the societal implications of this trend, noting the heightened burden associated with the rising prevalence of OSA due to climate change.

Previous studies had suggested a relationship between ambient temperature and OSA severity, but this research is among the first to provide a detailed analysis of this correlation. The study utilized a consumer database containing over 116,000 users of an under-mattress sensor designed to estimate OSA severity. Participants provided approximately 500 measurements each, which were then compared to 24-hour ambient temperature data derived from climate models.

The findings revealed that increased temperatures are linked to a 45% higher likelihood of experiencing OSA on any given night. However, this relationship varied by region; individuals in European countries exhibited a more pronounced increase in OSA severity associated with rising temperatures compared to those in Australia and the United States.

The researchers conducted a thorough evaluation of the societal and economic impacts stemming from the anticipated rise in OSA prevalence due to climate change. Their modeling encompassed various factors, such as disability-adjusted life years, productivity losses, and health economics. The conclusions drawn indicate that scenarios predicting a temperature increase of 2 degrees Celsius or more could lead to a 1.5 to 3 times increase in the burden of OSA by the year 2100. Notably, the impact of climate change has already resulted in a 50% to 100% rise in the OSA burden since the year 2000.

The study further highlights the critical threat posed by climate change to public health and well-being. It also points to the pressing need for effective interventions to diagnose and treat OSA. The high rates of undiagnosed and untreated OSA exacerbate the societal burden associated with the condition, emphasizing the importance of increasing diagnosis and treatment rates to alleviate health and productivity losses linked to rising temperatures.

Looking ahead, the research team intends to develop intervention studies aimed at identifying strategies to mitigate the effects of temperature on OSA. Additionally, they plan to investigate the physiological mechanisms that connect OSA severity with temperature fluctuations.