# Sleep Apnea Linked to 40% Increased Risk of Depression and Anxiety
Sleep apnea is a condition where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep, often with a noticeable “popping” sound. Often dismissed as a simple sleep habit or noise disturbance, it’s actually a sign that the brain is struggling due to oxygen deprivation.
Recent research indicates that prolonged, untreated sleep apnea can damage the nervous system, increasing the risk of serious mental health conditions like depression and anxiety by as much as 40%.A research team at the University of Ottawa, Canada, followed over 30,000 adults aged 45 to 85 participating in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA).
The study revealed that individuals with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) were 1.39 to 1.44 times more likely to meet the criteria for poor mental health compared to the general population,highlighting a significant negative impact on mental wellbeing.
The study, titled “Obstructive Sleep Apnea Risk and Mental Health Conditions Among Older Canadian Adults in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging,” was published in the December 2025 issue of *JAMA Network open*.
The impact of sleep apnea extends beyond just sleep disruption. Common symptoms, such as gasping for air or loud snoring, disturb both the patient’s and their partner’s sleep, perhaps leading to family conflict.
Other symptoms include dry mouth, morning headaches, and excessive daytime drowsiness, impacting work performance, driving safety, and overall concentration. This chronic fatigue can contribute to psychological decline, personality changes, and social isolation.
Physiologically, the “intermittent hypoxia” – repetitive oxygen deprivation due to airway narrowing – and “sleep fragmentation” – frequent awakenings – directly harm brain health. Research published in the international journal *Sleep* (May 2024) by a team at the Harvard University Graduate School of Public Health, details the inflammatory response…
Worth a look