Showing recent highlights
What's New
PubMed · August 11, 2026
A study found that in people with sleep apnea who already had heart disease, carrying extra weight around the middle — measured by comparing waist size to height — was linked to a higher chance of serious heart problems like heart attacks or strokes, while standard body weight categories (BMI) were not as useful at predicting that risk. People with the most belly fat had about a 52% higher chance of experiencing one of these serious heart events compared to those with the least. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · August 1, 2026
A study found that older adults with moderate-to-severe sleep apnea who followed a 12-week program combining aerobic and strength exercises with sleep hygiene tips — things like keeping a consistent bedtime and limiting screens before sleep — had noticeably fewer breathing interruptions per hour of sleep compared to those who only received the sleep hygiene tips. Interestingly, this improvement happened even without major changes in body weight or fat, suggesting exercise may help sleep apnea through other means, such as strengthening the muscles that keep airways open. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Guidelines
PubMed · July 21, 2026
According to American College of Chest Physicians guidelines, pregnant people should be screened for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) — a condition where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep — using either a pregnancy-specific questionnaire or a standard screening tool. If the screening suggests someone may have OSA, the guidelines recommend following up with a sleep test, which can be done at home or in a sleep lab. This matters because untreated sleep apnea during pregnancy can lead to serious health complications for both the mother and baby.
Ask your doctor: Ask the doctor whether the patient should be screened for sleep apnea during pregnancy, since research shows it can cause serious problems if left untreated.
What's New
PubMed · July 16, 2026
Researchers found that people with obstructive sleep apnea — a condition where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep — may be more likely to also have periodontitis, which is a serious gum infection that can damage the soft tissue and bone supporting the teeth. This connection showed up in 14 out of 20 studies reviewed, suggesting sleep apnea might play a role in worsening gum health, though exactly how is still unclear. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Watch Out For
FDA MedWatch · July 15, 2026
Be aware that certain ResMed Astral breathing machines (ventilators) may have a faulty electrical part that could cause the device to stop working unexpectedly, which could be very dangerous or even life-threatening for people who depend on it to breathe. If someone uses one of these machines, they or their caregiver should watch for any signs that the device is not working as expected, such as unusual alarms, the machine shutting off, or the person having trouble breathing. Anyone using this device should contact their doctor or equipment provider right away to find out if their specific machine is affected.
Ask your doctor: Ask the doctor whether the patient's Resmed Astral ventilator is one of the models with the electrical component problem that was recently reported, and what the patient should do about it.
Watch Out For
FDA MedWatch · July 14, 2026
Be aware that certain Volera breathing devices (made by Baxter) may have a problem where air and medication leak out during use, which could mean patients aren't getting enough oxygen or their full dose of inhaled medication. People using this device should watch for any signs that their breathing treatment doesn't seem to be working as well as usual, or if they feel short of breath or unwell during or after a session. Anyone with concerns about their device or how they're feeling during treatment should reach out to their doctor or care team right away.
Ask your doctor: Ask the doctor whether the patient's Volara positive pressure breathing device has been checked for air leaks that could reduce how much oxygen the patient is getting during treatment.
What's New
PubMed · July 8, 2026
Researchers found that artificial intelligence (AI) tools trained to read overnight pulse oximetry data — that's the simple finger clip that measures oxygen levels in your blood while you sleep — could accurately detect sleep apnea in about 91% of cases. This matters because the current gold-standard test for sleep apnea requires an overnight stay with specialized equipment, which many people can't easily access, while a finger clip worn at home is far simpler and cheaper. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · July 7, 2026
Researchers found that a smartphone app that listens to and analyzes sleep sounds was better at spotting moderate-to-severe sleep apnea — a condition where breathing repeatedly stops during sleep — than a standard questionnaire, among adults with high blood pressure in China. People who used the app and got an abnormal result stayed motivated to seek further care, which matters because sleep apnea often goes undiagnosed and untreated. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · July 3, 2026
A study found that among people with sleep apnea, one specific measure of low overnight oxygen levels — called the oxygen desaturation index, or ODI — was most consistently linked to high blood pressure compared to other ways of measuring oxygen dips during sleep. This matters because high blood pressure is already very common in people with sleep apnea, and identifying which oxygen measures are most meaningful could help doctors better understand who is at greatest risk. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · July 3, 2026
Researchers found that zolpidem (a common sleep aid, often known by the brand name Ambien) helped people with sleep apnea sleep longer without making their sleep apnea worse — sleep apnea is a condition where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep, which disrupts rest and can strain the heart. The study also found that people taking zolpidem didn't feel more groggy or sleepy the next day, suggesting it was generally well tolerated in this group. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · July 1, 2026
Researchers found that people who are naturally wired to stay up late and wake up later — often called 'evening types' or night owls — were about 54% more likely to experience chronic pain, including headaches, back pain, and muscle or joint pain, compared to people with earlier sleep patterns. This connection held up across 18 different studies, suggesting that when a person's internal body clock is out of sync with their daily schedule, it may play a real role in how much pain they experience. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · July 1, 2026
Researchers found that a type of talk therapy called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) — which helps people change how they relate to difficult thoughts and feelings rather than trying to eliminate them — reduced anxiety and improved sleep quality in wrestlers who struggled with anxiety over an 8-week program. Participants also reported feeling more confident in their ability to handle challenges. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · July 1, 2026
Researchers found that a new experimental pill called AD109 helped reduce breathing interruptions during sleep in people with sleep apnea who couldn't tolerate a CPAP machine — the device that blows air to keep airways open at night. People taking the pill had noticeably more improvement in their breathing patterns compared to those taking a sugar pill, which is meaningful because many people struggle to use a CPAP long-term and there are very few other options available. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · June 15, 2026
Researchers found that during a procedure called drug-induced sleep endoscopy — where doctors use a tiny camera to watch exactly where a person's airway collapses during sleep — the type of sedative (sleep medicine) used didn't significantly change what they observed. However, they did find that using a specific brain-activity monitor during the procedure was linked to seeing less collapse at the base of the tongue, and that higher body weight was connected to more collapse at the soft palate (the soft tissue at the back of the roof of the mouth). This matters for people with sleep apnea because understanding exactly where and how the airway collapses can help doctors choose the most effective treatment. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · June 15, 2026
Researchers found that people with sleep apnea who have unstable breathing control — meaning their body overreacts when trying to regulate breathing during sleep — were two to three times more likely to still have significant sleep apnea even while using a CPAP or similar breathing machine. This matters because roughly 1 in 5 people with sleep apnea still experience breathing disruptions during sleep even when using their treatment device, and understanding why could eventually help doctors identify who needs a different approach. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Watch Out For
FDA MedWatch · June 11, 2026
Be aware that certain Volara breathing therapy devices may have a problem where air and medicine can leak out during use, which means patients might not be getting enough oxygen or the right amount of their inhaled medication. If someone using this device notices it doesn't seem to be working as expected, feels short of breath, or feels their treatment isn't helping the way it usually does, it's important to let their doctor or care team know right away.
Ask your doctor: Ask the doctor whether the patient uses a Volara system for breathing treatments and if so, whether the patient should be checked for any air or medication leaks during nebulizer therapy.
What's New
PubMed · June 11, 2026
Researchers found that people with sleep apnea often stick with treatment better when they truly understand their condition and feel included in decisions about their care — rather than just being told what to do. The most common treatment (a CPAP machine, which delivers pressurized air through a mask to keep airways open during sleep) was well-known, but many patients struggled to use it consistently over time, often because of comfort issues or not fully grasping how serious their condition was. Interestingly, less than half of the patients in these studies had even heard of sleep apnea or its treatments before their diagnosis, suggesting that simply helping people understand their options could make a real difference in whether they stick with treatment. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · June 10, 2026
Researchers found that nearly half of people in the general population have high blood pressure specifically at night — even if their daytime readings look normal — and the numbers are even higher among people who already have high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea, or kidney problems. This matters because nighttime blood pressure turns out to be a stronger warning sign for serious heart problems like heart attacks or strokes than the readings taken during the day, suggesting that standard daytime measurements alone might be missing something important. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Lifestyle
PubMed · June 1, 2026
In this study, adults with sleep apnea did resistance training — think weightlifting or strength exercises — three times a week for eight weeks, and their sleep apnea became noticeably less severe, with breathing interruptions dropping by about 21 episodes per hour and nighttime wake-ups (called micro-arousals, brief moments where the brain rouses from sleep) also falling significantly. The improvement appeared to be connected to a reduction in waist size, suggesting that strengthening muscles may help by trimming the midsection, which can otherwise press on the airway during sleep. The comparison group, who only did stretching, saw no such improvement over the same period.
Lifestyle
PubMed · June 1, 2026
This large analysis of 18 studies found that non-surgical weight loss approaches — things like calorie-reduced eating plans and structured exercise — meaningfully reduced how often people with obesity stopped breathing during sleep (a condition called sleep apnea, where breathing repeatedly pauses at night). People following these programs also lost an average of about 14 pounds, shed inches from their waist, and saw their high blood pressure drop noticeably. The evidence was strongest over the short to medium term, meaning the benefits were clearest in the earlier months of sticking with the changes.
What's New
PubMed · June 1, 2026
Researchers studying people with sleep apnea found something surprising: instead of the brain's blood vessels being uniformly sluggish or less responsive (which many scientists expected), the picture was more complicated — some measures showed higher-than-normal responsiveness, while others showed reduced responsiveness in specific brain regions. This matters because sleep apnea is already known to raise the risk of stroke and mental decline, and understanding exactly how the brain's blood vessels are affected could eventually help doctors find better ways to protect the brain in people with this condition. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · June 1, 2026
Researchers found that removing the lingual tonsils — tissue at the base of the tongue that can block the airway — helped reduce the severity of sleep apnea in children with Down syndrome who still had breathing problems after their regular tonsils were already removed. Children in the study had fewer breathing interruptions during sleep and better oxygen levels after the procedure, though the improvements were somewhat smaller than what's typically seen in children without Down syndrome, likely because their airways are shaped differently in ways that make treatment more complex. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · June 1, 2026
Researchers found that a type of mouth and throat exercise program — called myofunctional therapy, which involves training the muscles in the tongue, lips, and airway — may help reduce the severity of sleep apnea in adults, along with improving daytime sleepiness, sleep quality, and oxygen levels during sleep. Sleep apnea is a condition where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep, so these findings could matter because the exercises offer a non-invasive option that might work alongside other treatments. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · June 1, 2026
Researchers found that a diabetes medication like Jardiance or Invokana may help people with sleep apnea breathe more regularly during sleep — specifically, it reduced how often their breathing paused or became shallow throughout the night, and it also lowered their body weight slightly. Interestingly, even though breathing improved, people using this medication didn't report feeling less sleepy during the day. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · June 1, 2026
Researchers found that CPAP machines — which deliver a steady stream of air through a mask to keep airways open during sleep — work better at reducing sleep interruptions, but many people stop using them because of the discomfort or noise. A mouthguard-like device called a mandibular advancement device (MAD), which gently shifts the jaw forward to keep the airway open, tends to be easier for people to stick with, especially those with milder sleep apnea, and still leads to meaningful improvements in sleep quality and mental sharpness. The researchers found that how consistently someone uses their treatment matters just as much as which treatment they choose.
What's New
PubMed · June 1, 2026
Researchers found that people with moderate-to-severe sleep apnea tend to have lower levels of a natural gut hormone (called GLP-1) that helps regulate blood sugar, and that taking a diabetes medication like Ozempic or Victoza may help reduce the number of breathing interruptions during sleep, improve blood sugar control, and lower body weight in people who have sleep apnea alongside obesity or diabetes. This could matter because it suggests there may be a biological link between sleep apnea and blood sugar regulation that doctors might one day be able to target with existing medications. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · June 1, 2026
Researchers found that children with sleep apnea — a condition where breathing repeatedly stops during sleep — tend to have a small but notable difference in their throat anatomy compared to children without it. Specifically, a small bone in the throat called the hyoid bone sat lower and farther back, and the airway behind the soft palate (the soft tissue at the roof of the mouth) was noticeably narrower. This matters because it helps explain why some children with sleep apnea have more trouble breathing at night, and it may one day help doctors spot the condition earlier using routine X-rays of the face and jaw. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
What's New
PubMed · June 1, 2026
Researchers found that a procedure called renal denervation — where nerves near the kidneys are disrupted to help lower high blood pressure — may also have benefits beyond just blood pressure control. The study found it was linked to improvements in heart rhythm problems, sleep apnea (a condition where breathing repeatedly stops during sleep), fasting blood sugar levels, and how well the heart's lower chambers relax and fill with blood. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Watch Out For
FDA MedWatch · May 21, 2026
Be aware that React Health has recalled certain VOCSN V+Pro ventilators — breathing support machines — because a manufacturing problem may cause oxygen to leak in a way that the device doesn't detect or warn about. An undetected oxygen leak could affect how well the machine delivers the right amount of air to the person using it. Anyone using one of these devices should contact their doctor or care team right away to find out if their specific machine is affected.
Ask your doctor: Ask the doctor whether the patient is using a VOCSN V+Pro ventilator and whether the patient should be concerned about the recent recall of these devices due to potential oxygen leaks.
What's New
PubMed · May 14, 2026
Researchers tested whether 3D-printed, custom-fitted face masks — made to match the exact shape of a person's face — could work better than standard masks for people with sleep apnea, a condition where breathing repeatedly stops during sleep. Surprisingly, the custom masks actually performed worse, showing more air leakage and lower usage compared to regular masks, which was the opposite of what scientists hoped. This is early research and hasn't yet changed treatment guidelines.
Ask your doctor: Ask the doctor whether getting a custom-fitted mask made with 3D printing technology might work better for the patient than a regular PAP mask if the patient is having trouble with comfort or leaking.
For informational purposes only. Not medical advice. Always consult a physician before making any health decisions.