Sleep apnea and women

Sleep apnea affects men and women in a similar way. The effect of sleep apnea on women is still being fully understood; however, there are several unique factors about women and the way we sleep.

• Generally, women have shorter and fewer apneas than men, but it affects us more, even with relatively milder sleep disturbances.^{4, 5}
• Female hormones protect us, to some extent, from sleep apnea, though menopause and pregnancy increase our risk.^{1, 3}
• We may be more sensitive to sleep disturbances.
• Since we may not report typical symptoms, we are more likely to be misdiagnosed. Fortunately, though, we are also more likely to seek help for our health challenges.