The link between sleep and mental health has been studied extensively, improving sleep quality has been shown to have positive impacts on mental health.
Research shows that between 52% and 69% of individuals diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) also have obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). Some studies further suggest that 95% of individuals with PTSD could have OSA.
Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep is critical for emotional processing and memory consolidation. People with PTSD often experience night-time hypervigilance, frequent awakenings and distressing nightmares. However, when combined with OSA, individuals experience exacerbated PTSD symptoms.
Reduced REM sleep creates more nightmares and poor emotional regulation. Apnoea-related awakenings cause symptoms such as, shortness of breath, a racing heart, and anxiety, this further worsens the experience of the nightmare. Fragmented sleep causes increased daytime fatigue, irritability, and intensifies mental health symptoms
Effective treatment of OSA has been found to reduce PTSD symptoms.
Treatment options include:
- Mandibular advancement splints
- Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy
Studies show that treating OSA in people with PTSD can lead to:
- Fewer nightmares
- Improved mood and concentration
- Better energy and reduced anxiety during the day
Treating OSA additionally reduces the likelihood of the following physical health complications:
- Hypertension
- Diabetes
- Stroke
- Cardiovascular disease
References
Lettieri, C. J., Williams, S. G., & Collen, J. F. (2015). OSA syndrome and posttraumatic stress disorder. CHEST Journal, 149(2), 483–490. https://doi.org/10.1378/chest.15-0693
Liempt, S., Westenberg, H., Arends, J., & Vermetten, E. (2011). Obstructive sleep apnea in combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder: a controlled polysomnography study. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.3402/ejpt.v2i0.8451
McCall, C. A., & Watson, N. F. (2022). A Narrative Review of the Association between Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 11(2), 415. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm11020415
Orr, J. E., Smales, C., Alexander, T. H., Stepnowsky, C., Pillar, G., Malhotra, A., & Sarmiento, K. F. (2017). Treatment of OSA with CPAP Is Associated with Improvement in PTSD Symptoms among Veterans. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 13(01), 57–63. https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.6388
Vandekerckhove, M., & Wang, Y. (2017). Emotion, emotion regulation and sleep: An intimate relationship. AIMS Neuroscience, 1(1), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.3934/neuroscience.2018.1.1
