By Christopher Piercecchi, MD — Physician and Wellness Manager, Founder, The Men’s Clinic for Wellness & Vitality
SITREP is an evidence-based review briefing for patients and colleagues at The Men’s Clinic for Wellness & Vitality. It is educational and does not constitute individualized medical advice.
Do you hit a wall in the middle of the day? Wake up feeling less rested than you think you should? Do you find yourself wishing you could take a nap, struggling with concentration, or wondering why you don’t have the energy and recovery you had ten years ago? Maybe you have blamed it on getting older, working too much, stress, or even low testosterone. All of those things may play a role, but poor, fragmented sleep is a common and often overlooked contributor. And before you decide that sleep apnea could not possibly be part of the problem because you are not obese, do not snore like a freight train, and no one has ever watched you stop breathing, consider this. The landmark Wisconsin Sleep Cohort estimated that 82 percent of middle-aged men with moderate-to-severe sleep apnea had not been clinically diagnosed. You can be lean, active, otherwise healthy, sleep through the night as far as you know, and still have your breathing repeatedly disrupting the quality of your sleep. If you have already decided, “I don’t have sleep apnea,” keep reading before you rule it out. [1]
Think sleep apnea doesn’t apply to you? Many men with obstructive sleep apnea are not obese, do not wake up choking, and do not feel profoundly sleepy during the day. If you’re middle-aged, active, and still wondering why your energy, recovery, or sleep quality are not what they used to be, this SitRep may be more relevant than you think. Become a paid subscriber to continue reading The Men’s Health SitRep.
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