Sleep apnea is a sleeping disorder that we are constantly learning more about. A greater number of medical studies are being conducted about this disorder which causes the cessation of breathing while sleeping to better understand the effects on the human body and mind. These studies are showing that this sleeping disorder has a much greater impact on our lives than we previously realized.

Studies on Sleep Apnea and Aerobic Fitness

The recent study reported in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine has now shown that people with sleep apnea are not only impacted by this disorder while they’re sleeping, but that they also have a lower peak oxygen intake during aerobic activity. Since the people who suffer from sleep apnea also have an increased likelihood of being obese, it is expected that they would be less fit and have a lower intake of oxygen during aerobic activity. However, when compared with people that had similar body mass indices that did not suffer from the disorder, the results still revealed that those who do suffer from sleep apnea do indeed suffer from lower oxygen intake during exercise. This study was led by researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine.

This study now shows us that people who suffer from moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea could have an intrinsic inability to burn higher amounts of oxygen that are required for strenuous aerobic exercises. One of the main aspects of treatment plans to help control sleep apnea includes losing weight if the person who suffers from the disorder is overweight. However, we now understand that the disorder itself is actually causing the structural changes in their muscles that contribute directly to their difficulty exercising. Naturally, this makes losing that extra weight even more difficult for sleep apnea patients.

Details of the Sleep Apnea Study

Researchers came to the above conclusion based upon sleep studies that focused on men and women with a wide range of sleep apnea symptoms. These clinical sleep studies evaluated the severity of the sleep apnea in each patient and screened participants for other sleeping disorders that may influence the results of the study.

A total of fifteen men and women that suffered with moderate to severe sleep apnea, along with nineteen individuals with mild or no sleep apnea symptoms were asked to exercise using a stationary bike. The stationary bike was set to incrementally more difficult resistance levels to mimic what a person would experience while riding a bicycle up a progressively steeper hill. The participants were advised to pedal until they reached exhaustion.

Results of the Sleep Apnea Study

The data collected from the exercise test results, along with the previous data collected of each participant’s resting metabolic rate were used by scientists to calculate each person’s VO2 max. This number represents the maximum amount of oxygen that the participant could uptake during their strenuous exercise. They also compared this number to the expected VO2 max for a person of the same gender, age, and body mass index.

The researching scientists adjusted for baseline differences and then were able to prove that the participants who suffered from moderate to severe sleep apnea had an average 14% lower VO2 max than the control group. They also discovered that the number of sleep apnea episodes where a person ceased to breathe for 10 seconds or more per hour would predict 16% of the variability observed in the test.

What This Sleep Apnea Study Means to You

Researchers now believe that your VO2 max measurements could be an early indicator of those who are at a greater risk of suffering from a stroke or heart attack. These measurements can help to motivate early interventions to not only treat sleep apnea, but to help find other ways to attempt to safeguard individuals from suffering the consequences of this sleeping disorder.

Many cases of sleep apnea go undiagnosed and untreated. This study provides us with further evidence of the importance of becoming aware of the sleep apnea disorder early and seeking treatment as soon as possible. If you or a loved one presents with the symptoms of sleep apnea, it’s extremely vital that you speak with your doctor about undertaking a sleep study to see if you exhibit signs of the disorder.

Based upon the severity of your symptoms, you and your doctor can work together to come up with a treatment plan that not only will help lessen the effects of your sleep apnea disorder, but will also work with your lifestyle.

We are constantly learning more about how this sleeping disorder can impact our bodies and our minds and one thing remains consistent, early intervention is key to protecting yourself from the consequences of this potentially fatal disorder.

If you have any questions about sleep apnea, please contact Mark Levy DDS at (614) 777-7350.