1.12 percent increase seen in moderate-to-severe OSA prevalence per 1-degree Celsius increase in nighttime temperature
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
TUESDAY, Nov. 4, 2025 (HealthDay News) — The prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) increases during nighttime heatwaves, according to a study published online Oct. 28 in the European Respiratory Journal.
Lucía Pinilla, Ph.D., from Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia, and colleagues examined the effects of increased nighttime temperature during European summer heatwaves on the prevalence of OSA. Nightly apnea-hypopnea index data were obtained from 67,558 adult regular users of a certified under-mattress sleep sensor (Withings Sleep Analyzer), residing in Europe.
Of the participants, 24.1 percent had moderate-to-severe OSA and 9.2 percent had severe OSA. A total of 1,363 nighttime heatwaves were detected across 169 European regions; the average nighttime temperatures during heatwaves were 2.84 degrees Celsius higher than in the baseline period. The researchers found that the risk for moderate-to-severe OSA increased by 13 and 12 percent in the main model and in a sensitivity analysis with temporal and environmental adjustments at the peak of the heatwave (odds ratios, 1.13 and 1.12, respectively). This corresponds to an absolute increase of 3.18 percent in the prevalence of moderate-to-severe OSA, equivalent to a 1.12 percent increase in moderate-to-severe OSA prevalence per 1-degree Celsius increase in nighttime temperature. Using severe OSA as the outcome, similar results were observed. No major differences in associations were seen in subgroup analyses stratified by sex, age, and body mass index.
“OSA should now be considered alongside other chronic diseases that are worsened by climate change,” Pinilla said in a statement. “Heatwaves are not only uncomfortable, but they can also directly affect how we breathe and sleep.”
Several authors disclosed ties to pharmaceutical and medical technology companies, including Withings.
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