Women's Hidden Sleep Crisis: Undiagnosed Apnea Risks Heart Damage

According to a report published on 2025-11-14T00:41:53+00:00, women are not getting enough sleep due to an underdiagnosis of sleep apnea. This medical condition not only results in fatigue but can also lead to heart damage and, in extreme cases, even death.

One important side effect of sleep apnea in women is depression. However, women and their partners often dismiss it as a result of life's pressures. "Women have very busy schedules. They're often multitasking, they're looking after the kids, doing a job, taking care of the home, and so they have that sense of, yeah, I'm tired, but I should be tired because I'm doing all these things," says Dr. Virend Somers of the Mayo Clinic.

Researchers say sleep apnea is often left undiagnosed among women because their male partners haven't helped catch the symptoms. Men are more often diagnosed with sleep apnea after their wives notice and complain about their snoring, but the inverse is often not true for women.

To address this issue, Dr. Somers utilized artificial intelligence to analyze over 11,000 electrocardiograms (ECGs). The AI analysis was able to detect indicators in women's ECGs that humans and regular computers could not. Somers recommends women go to their doctors and ask for an overnight oximeter monitor if they are worried they might have sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea can be reversed, in part, with early and consistent treatment such as a CPAP machine. Studies show CPAP machines can improve heart function and reduce heart muscle thickness.