How common is obstructive sleep apnea?

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is very common. Research has shown that about one in every 5 adults has enough sleep apnea to be considered abnormal. This makes OSA about twice as common as asthma. Most individuals with OSA have only mild disease when defined by the frequency of the abnormal breathing events during sleep, and most of them don't have daytime symptoms. About one in 20 adults has the Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome, which is OSA associated with excessive daytime sleepiness. That is a lot of people with OSA, about 23 million in the United States with at least mild disease, and 16 million with moderate to severe disease. So it is very likely you know someone with OSA, although they may not tell you. If you travel by plane, say on a Boeing 747 with 451 uncomfortable fellow passengers, you have a one in 25 chance of sitting next to one who has significant OSA. If that person is a male and is fat and a snorer, the chances that he has OSA are even higher. OSA is distributed in the population unequally. It is more common in males (24%) than females (9%), and in those who are obese. One out of every 10 habitual snorers has symptomatic OSA. Because OSA is strongly linked to obesity and age, and on average our population is growing older and fatter, OSA is becoming more common all the time.

You will probably see someone with OSA today. It might be your bed-partner.

Sleep apnea remains significantly underdiagnosed -- many snorers out there have no idea that they are suffering from this disorder. The National Institutes of Health estimates that 12 million adults have been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea -- but there are likely millions more who have yet to be diagnosed.