Patel says that, although sleep apnea affects, a woman's risk increases as she gets older."Men seem to have this diagnosis in early years but women 'catch up' in post-menopausal years," she said."Among older adults, women's prevalence of sleep apnea approaches that of men's." Patel adds that hormonal shifts contribute to the higher occurrence of sleep apnea in post-menopausal women.
"There's sound research that the symptoms of sleep apnea are frequently misinterpreted or underappreciated, not just by patients but also providers," said"When a woman is awakened at night drenched in sweat and she happens to be the age that menopause could be occurring for her, it seems the symptoms are either discounted, or they're just assumed to be menopause," Zarfos said.
Patel agrees."Women may often go undiagnosed or be misdiagnosed, especially if they don't present with classic sleep apnea symptoms," she said.The lapses in breathing that happen with sleep apnea keep your body from getting enough oxygen, leading not just to poor sleep but to potentially