In the realm of sleep disorders, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) stands out with its repeated episodes of halted breathing during sleep, sometimes extending for several minutes.
As sleepers experience these episodes, they subsequently wake up abruptly, gasping for breath. Beyond its immediate effects, obstructive sleep apnea brings with it a plethora of symptoms including fatigue, excessive daytime sleepiness, and a striking lack of concentration.
These symptoms are more than just an inconvenience – they degrade the quality of life and may even incapacitate affected individuals.
Moreover, untreated OSA can be a prelude to a series of debilitating health issues such as heart failure, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cognitive challenges including poor memory and focus.
Cellular aging
Experts from the Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP) in Brazil have unveiled another disconcerting side effect of obstructive sleep apnea.
The researchers have found that obstructive sleep apnea accelerates cellular aging through the shortening of telomeres - intricate structures comprising DNA sequences and proteins located at the ends of our chromosomes.
Telomeres, like silent guardians, ensure the genetic material within the cell nucleus remains undistorted. As cells undergo division for tissue and organ rejuvenation, telomeres inevitably shorten.