Increased Physical activity may decrease sleep apnea risk: Study

Canada: Increased levels of physical activity, including walking, could help in the prevention of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a recent study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine has found. According to the study, independent of known risk factors for OSA, including BMI, increased physical activity levels were associated with a lower prevalence of OSA.

The surprise finding was that not only vigorous physical activity but just walking alone was also associated with a decreased risk of sleep apnea. 

Obstructive sleep apnea is a common condiditon having significant symptoms and long-term adverse effects on mental, cognitive health, vascular, and respiratory sequelae. Physical activity has been recognized as a key factor for good health and may lead to lower risk of these sequelae. Kelly A. Hall, University of Adelaide, North Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia, and colleagues hypothesized that increased physical activity may be associated with a decreased prevalence of OSA.

In this cross-sectional study, the researchers utilized questionnaire data from the Ontario Health Study (OHS) -- a population-based cohort of residents of Ontario, Canada. In the questionnaire, the participants provided information of their lifestyle, medical, socio-demographic, and sleep health.

The study involved a total of 155,448 men (39.8%) and women (60.2%). The prevalence of physician-diagnosed OSA in this cohort was 6.9%. 

"Independent of known risk factors for OSA, including BMI, increased levels of physical activity, including walking, were associated with a prevalence of OSA. Our results highlight the importance of physical activity as a preventive measure for sleep apnea," concluded the authors.

The study, "Physical Activity is Associated With Reduced Prevalence of Self-Reported Obstructive Sleep Apnea in a Large, General Population Cohort Study," is published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.