Boise Dentist Blog
The professional blog of Doctors Dan Bruce, Steve Bruce, Rosa Pothier and Rob Ririe
OSA and Anxiety and Depression
We have posted a lot of information over the years about the impact obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has on your health, and there continues to be more and more research regarding the link between sleep apnea and multiple health issues. A recent study published in the Journal of Research in Medical Sciences explored the link between OSA and anxiety and depression.
A study of 178 patients with OSA revealed that 53.9% suffered from anxiety and 46.1% suffered from depression. OSA severity was associated with the frequency of anxiety, choking, and sleepiness. Furthermore, the data revealed that anxiety and depression were more related to severe OSA than the traditional symptom of sleepiness. Only 23.1% of patients with severe OSA reported sleepiness compared to 66.7% with anxiety and 71.4% with depression. Additionally, a high body mass index (BMI) was found to be associated with increased severity of OSA and more frequent attacks of anxiety.
More research is needed to further explore the link between OSA and anxiety and depression, but the results of this study suggest that OSA should be considered as a possible diagnosis for patients presenting with anxiety and depression.