A recent study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirms the long-held theory that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and other sleep disorders are associated with depression.
As part of an ongoing study, the CDC surveyed 9,714 men and women. About 6 percent of the men and 3 percent of the women who participated in the study reported having been diagnosed with OSA. Other participants had not been diagnosed with sleep apnea, but reported symptoms such as snoring, gasping for air and snorting during sleep.
Although men seem at greater risk for developing OSA than women, the study indicates that women face a higher risk for experiencing depression. Among those diagnosed with OSA, depression was more than twice as frequent among men and more than five times as common among women compared to those who did not suffer from OSA.
However, signs of depression were not linked to OSA alone. Researchers found that people whose partners reported they snored or stopped breathing occasionally during sleep were also more likely to show symptoms of depression.
The research did not establish a cause-and-effect relationship between sleep disorders and depression. The results of the study appear in the April issue of the journal Sleep.
If you suffer from sleep apnea symptoms, a qualified dentist may be able to diagnose the source of your condition and recommend an effective treatment. Please contact IHateCPAP.com to locate an experienced sleep disorder dentist near you.