Sleep Apnea Statistics for 2024

Sleep apnea, a condition in which your breathing periodically stops during sleep, is more common than you might think. There are three types of sleep apnea: obstructive, central, and complex. Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common of those three, and it’s the result of the throat muscles collapsing during sleep and impacting your breathing.

Even though this sleep disorder can pose a risk to your health, there are different treatment options available you can do under the guidance of a healthcare professional.

Fast Facts

• Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the second most common sleep disorder, affecting nearly 1 billion adults globally.¹ 
• Roughly 30 million U.S. adults have obstructive sleep apnea, but an estimated 80% of these cases are undiagnosed.² 
• Sleep apnea drives more than $149 billion in annual losses due to its impact on productivity, workplace or car accidents, and comorbid conditions.² 
• 94% of people with obstructive sleep apnea snore.³
• 60% of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea cases can be attributed to obesity. ⁴

How Common Is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea affects nearly 1 billion people worldwide and around 30 million people in the US.^{1, 2} Breaking down these numbers even further, age and sex can also impact the prevalence of sleep apnea.

• 425 million adults between the ages of 30 and 69 have obstructive sleep apnea.¹
• 56 percent of people age 65 and older are more likely to develop obstructive sleep apnea than younger people.⁵ 
• Of that 56 percent, only about 8 percent of those people have been tested for obstructive sleep apnea.⁵ 
• Men are about two times more likely than women to have OSA.¹

Sleep Apnea Diagnosis 

Diagnosing sleep apnea typically involves learning about the patient and their symptoms, followed by a physical examination and sleep study. A sleep study is done either at a clinic or at home. Small, adhesive sensors are attached to your body and head, gathering data such as your blood oxygen levels and heart rate while you sleep.

Based on these examinations, a healthcare professional can help determine the type of sleep apnea you have. 

• Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when throat muscles relax and block the upper airway.³
• Central sleep apnea (CSA) occurs when the brain fails to send proper signals to breath-controlling muscles.³ 
• Complex sleep apnea is a combination of obstructive and central sleep apnea.⁶ This form can occur when someone receiving continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy for obstructive sleep apnea begins to develop central sleep apnea.

A sleep apnea diagnosis means there are more than five apnea episodes per hour lasting at least 10 seconds.⁷ The severity of sleep apnea is defined as mild, moderate, or severe. Mild sleep apnea is more than five episodes per hour. Moderate sleep apnea is more than 15 episodes per hour, and severe is more than 30 episodes per hour.

Despite how common it is, sleep apnea is largely undiagnosed. It’s reported that 85 to 90 percent of people with sleep apnea don’t even know they have it.⁸

Sleep Apnea Prevalence by Age

Sleep disorders (including sleep apnea) seem to be more prevalent in older adults.⁹ That said, the data is inconsistent, so it’s hard to tell the exact numbers. 

While more recent data is not available, a 1993 study showed the following numbers by age group measured by those with five or more apnea episodes per hour.¹⁰ 

Age	Prevalence in Men	Prevalence in Women
30 – 39	6.5%	17%
40 – 49	8.7%	25%
50 – 60	16%	31%

Another study conducted on 2,491 patients with sleep apnea symptoms showed that the odds of having this sleep disorder are three times higher after the age of 65.¹¹

How common is sleep apnea in babies and children?

Sleep apnea isn’t as frequent among children, but it can happen. It’s believed that at least 3 to 6 percent of kids have this sleep disorder, and some 10 to 20 percent of kids who snore also have pediatric sleep apnea.¹²

• Childhood sleep apnea is most common between the ages of two and 10, and it usually surfaces when a kid is four years old.¹³
• Sleep apnea is more common in preterm infants than it is in full-term babies.¹⁴

Some of the most common symptoms of childhood sleep apnea include:

• Snoring with pauses and snorts between breaths¹²
• Heavy breathing¹²
• Restless sleep¹²
• Behavioral problems the next day¹²
• Daytime sleepiness¹²
• Bedwetting¹²

Pediatric sleep apnea can happen due to enlarged adenoids or tonsils.¹² Also, if a child has another health condition, such as Down syndrome, this can increase their chances of sleep apnea by as much as 80 percent.¹⁵

If the child’s pediatrician suspects the issue is sleep apnea, they may need to undergo a sleep study to get a formal diagnosis. 

Sleep Apnea in Men vs. Women

Men are more likely than women to develop sleep apnea. In the United States, 25-30 percent of men¹⁶ meet the criteria for obstructive sleep apnea compared to just 9-17 percent of women.

Men have a higher risk of obstructive sleep apnea because they have greater upper airway collapsibility, more soft tissues, and longer airway length than women.¹⁷ 

However, this doesn’t mean women are not at risk. The hormonal changes women go through during puberty, pregnancy, and menopause put them at an increased risk of sleep apnea and other sleep disturbances.¹⁸ 

Sleep Apnea Risk Factors

Sleep apnea is often associated with age, but there are other risk factors involved. In many cases, family history and lifestyle behaviors also increase the chances of having sleep apnea. 

• Obesity is the problem for about 60 percent of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea cases.⁴ In this case, weight loss may help ease symptoms. 
• Heavy drinkers have a 25 percent higher risk of developing sleep apnea, whereas smokers are 1.2 times more likely to already have it.^{19, 20} 

Learn More: Signs You Have Sleep Apnea

Snoring and Sleep Apnea

Not all people who snore have sleep apnea, but most people with sleep apnea will snore. 

• Snoring is a common symptom of sleep apnea, affecting up to 94 percent of patients.³
• Among children, 10 and 20 percent of kids who snore also have sleep apnea.¹²

By treating sleep apnea this will likely help you get rid of your snoring. However, if you still find yourself snoring, talk to your doctor since this can also happen for other reasons, such as nasal congestion or a deviated septum.²¹ 

Health Impacts of Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea can have a negative correlation to your physical health.

• Obstructive sleep apnea is common among 40 to 80 percent of people with hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, and stroke.²²
• This sleep disorder puts you at a 1.9 times increased risk of all-cause mortality and a 2.65 increased risk of cardiovascular-related mortality.²³ 
• Sleep apnea patients are also at a higher risk of injuries.²⁴ 

Apart from having an impact on physical health, sleep apnea can also influence your mental health. A 2022 study showed an increased prevalence of anxiety and depression in people with obstructive sleep apnea.²⁵ The study was done on 182 people with mild, moderate, and severe sleep apnea, 85 of which had mental illness. 

Sleep Apnea Treatment and Management 

Sleep apnea is typically treated with invasive treatments such as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, oral appliances, and surgeries.²⁶ Non-invasive treatments are behavioral changes and sleep hygiene, which may provide positive results in mild sleep apnea cases. 

• CPAP devices are highly effective in treating sleep apnea, helping patients sleep through the night and achieve good-quality sleep.²⁷ 
• Healthy lifestyle changes can also be effective, reducing sleep apnea symptoms by 34.4 percent at 10 years.²⁸ 
• Surgery remains at a 100 percent success rate, even for years afterward, among people younger than 45 with a BMI less than 25 kg/m².²⁹

Sleep Apnea and CPAP Therapy

A CPAP machine is a device that provides continuous air pressure to keep your airways open so you can breathe more easily during sleep. It’s one of the most well-known sleep apnea treatments.

• Continued use of a CPAP device can decrease mortality from all causes by 27 percent.³⁰
• Over 8 million CPAPs are sold in the U.S. and 2.5 million worldwide each year.³¹
• A CPAP is a costly machine, and for people without insurance, it can cost up to $750, which is the average price in 2024.³² 
• Despite its effectiveness, only 30 to 60 percent of CPAP users adhere to their therapy plan.³³

Summary 

Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder that requires the right diagnosis and treatment plan from a trusted healthcare professional. This is especially important considering sleep apnea can impact your physical and mental health, as well as your overall quality of life. 

There’s enough research to diagnose and treat sleep apnea successfully, but looking at the statistics, not everyone with sleep apnea reaches out to their doctor or sticks to their therapy. If you suspect that you might have sleep apnea, reach out to your healthcare provider for a formal consultation.

References:

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