Women & Sleep Apnea

Nearly 1 in 5 women have sleep apnea, a disorder that affects daytime functioning. But about 9 in 10 women with sleep apnea don’t know they have it because the signs of sleep apnea in women may not be the same as those in men. For women, signs may be mistaken for depression or menopause. Or they may have no obvious symptoms at all.

SWHR’s Sleep Network partnered with patients from MyApnea.org to develop this handy guide for both patients and health care providers to raise awareness about this disorder that is widely perceived as a “man’s disease.”

Nearly 1 in 5 women have sleep apnea, a disorder that affects daytime functioning. But about 9 in 10 women with sleep apnea don’t know they have it because the signs of sleep apnea in women may not be the same as those in men. For women, signs may be mistaken for depression or menopause. Or they may have no obvious symptoms at all.

SWHR’s Sleep Network partnered with patients from MyApnea.org to develop this handy guide for both patients and health care providers to raise awareness about this disorder that is widely perceived as a “man’s disease.”