Sleep Apnea Effects On Aging

As human beings, sleep is required in order to function normally and ultimately survive. As an individual gets older, the amount of sleep they require tends to differ for example; infants sleep most of the day where adults tend to average 8-10 hours of sleep per night. Sleep apnea is defined as “a disorder in which a person stops breathing while asleep because the throat closes resulting in frequent awakenings in the night” (“Lecture 4”, 2013). An individual with sleep apnea rarely gets a good night sleep which then deprives the body of getting rest and being able to repair and replenish. This disorder is a serious condition that should not be ignored and is highly frowned upon to leave untreated. Sleep apnea has a negative effect on an individual through aging, quality of life, and weight gain.
Aging …show more content…
During sleep, “growth hormone is released which helps to repair damaged tissue, enables the brain to replenish and allows energy to store and strengthen the immune system (“Lecture 4”, 2013). An individual who has sleep apnea does not undergo sleep long enough for the body to begin this healing process which is then believed to have a negative effect on aging. Studies have been done to see if sleep quality influences the aging process in an individual through the use of The Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and global scores. Sleep quality is a concept that includes components which look at “the satisfaction of sleep, sleep efficiency, and the impact that sleep has on daytime functioning” (Mellor et al., 2014). The study of sleep apnea and aging can be controversial because changes in sleep are a part of the normal aging process so researchers must look at sleep quality as a whole and examine how poor sleep due to sleep disorders can impact