There are at least a dozen reasons why women wake up with headaches, anxiety, or difficulty keeping their eyes open at work, regardless of how well they slept: menstruation, age of changemotherhood – the list really goes on. But these symptoms, vague as they may be, may actually stem from a medical condition that has historically been considered a “man’s disease”: obstructive sleep apneaor OSA.
If you immediately pictured an older man snoozing on the couch and snoring like a lawnmower, you’re not alone. It wasn’t until the 1990s that researchers first recognized that OSA, which repeatedly stops breathing during sleep, often presents differently in women than in men. Initially, women with the disease may not even snore.
There is still much to be discovered about the biology behind the differences, but research suggests that hormonal fluctuations throughout life, differences in upper respiratory tract anatomy, and even social stigmas about women’s behavior should sleep probably plays a role.
“The disease itself has been defined in men,” explains Jennifer Martin, PhD, a behavioral sleep medicine specialist and professor at Florida International University’s Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine in Miami. “Men’s and women’s breathing during sleep is not the same, and the definition of the disease does not take this into account.”
Although obstructive sleep apnea appears to be less common and typically milder in women (at least before menopause), studies suggest that the consequences of the condition, if left untreated, can be similar, if not worse, to us, so it’s vital to learn the symptoms and seek help. Here’s what we know about obstructive sleep apnea and how it affects women. Plus, experts explain how to advocate for the best care if you think you have this condition.
How and why sleep apnea differs in women
Sleep apnea is one of several conditions that fall under the umbrella of sleep-disordered breathing. The most common type is OSA, which occurs when the upper airway repeatedly collapses during sleep, making it difficult for air to enter the lungs. Anita Valanju Shelgikar, MDis a sleep medicine physician at Michigan Health University and president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
The textbook symptoms of this condition—defined in our registry based on studies involving mostly men—are loud snoring and dramatic gasping for air as one tries to continue breathing while sleeping. But that’s often not the case for women, Dr. Shelgikar tells SELF. Instead, women with OSA are more likely to have nightmares, wake up several times a night, have trouble falling asleep, and struggle with insomnia, which causes symptoms such as daytime fatigue, morning headaches, and mood swings. Women are more prone to hypopnea (shallow breathing with less oxygen flow), while men are prone to apnea (complete cessation of breathing).
