There are many reasons to address your sleep apnea, especially because it is linked to numerous comorbidities including cardiac events and diabetes (1, 2). However, a recent study has revealed another important concern: when left untreated, sleep apnea may accelerate biological aging. The good news is that proper treatment may help reverse this process.

The Insomnia and Sleep Institute of Arizona diagnoses and treats all types of sleep disorders, including both obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), the most common type, and central sleep apnea (CSA). Patients are under the care of triple board-certified Dr. Ruchir P. Patel, a six-time “Top Doc” and Board President of the Maricopa County Medical Society. From your initial consultation onward, you will work with experts who can properly diagnose and treat your sleep condition.

Research Shows Untreated Sleep Apnea May Accelerate Biological Aging

A study highlighted in Science Daily examined how one year of CPAP treatment affected patients with OSA (3). Researchers already knew that OSA affects more than 22 million people in the U.S. and that it has links to stroke, hypertension, heart attack, and a host of other issues. Their findings, however, revealed an additional concern: untreated OSA appears to speed up biological aging (3). 

Researchers at the University of Missouri School of Medicine tested the blood of participants to analyze DNA, then used an algorithm to estimate the person’s biological age. When someone’s biological age surpasses their chronological age, it is called “epigenetic age acceleration.” This, unsurprisingly, leads to an increased rate of chronic disease progression and mortality risk(3)

The OSA-Aging Connection

OSA isn’t the only condition that has been linked to age acceleration. One of the researchers notes, “it can be caused by a variety of environmental factors like smoking, poor diet, or pollution.” (3) This means it’s quite common for those in Western countries to experience epigenetic age acceleration—but why do so when you can avoid it? In some cases, there is only so much you can do about pollution (such as if you live in a polluted metro). However, OSA is one factor that you can have complete control over with the help of a sleep specialist.

This issue is global. A cross-cultural study published in the European Respiratory Journal found sleep-disordered breathing affected 34.2% of males in the U.S. compared to 18.4% in Japan—yet both populations face significant underdiagnosis (4). Moreover, the Philippines ranks as the top country in Asia where more than half of respondents sleep less than eight hours, and many of those struggling with undiagnosed sleep apnea simply attribute their chronic fatigue to their demanding daily routines rather than a treatable medical condition (5).

CPAP Therapy May Slow Epigenetic Aging

Study Findings: CPAP Therapy May Slow Epigenetic Aging

The study followed 16 non-smoking adults diagnosed with OSA and compared them to a control group without OSA. The OSA group used CPAP therapy for one year before retesting  (3). 

Those who adhered carefully to CPAP usage revealed a “deceleration of the epigenetic age,”. (3). Those in the control group, without OSA and thus without CPAP therapy, did not have any change in their biological age (beyond aging the expected year). Researchers concluded, “Our results suggest that biological age acceleration is at least partially reversible when effective treatment of OSA is implemented.” (3)

Reversing Your OSA-Induced Aging

The keyword here is “effective.” Many patients do not use their CPAP:

1) as they should and/or 

2) every time they sleep. 

There are a myriad of reasons for this, the most common being ill-fitting equipment. It may take some work with your sleep specialist to find the right CPAP materials for you. When this occurs, adherence becomes much easier. In fact, many patients who use CPAP correctly feel like they can’t sleep well without it (because they can’t). The researchers found that CPAP must be used at least four hours every night for optimal results (3).

Alternatives to CPAP Therapy for Sleep Apnea

In the rare event that CPAP therapy really is not suitable for a particular patient, other options such as the Inspire implant may be used. The Insomnia and Sleep Institute has the ability to offer this technology, which is implanted during an outpatient procedure and then monitored by the clinic.

Sleep apnea can affect people of any age. While it is more common in adults, children can also be affected. The Institute treats patients as young as two years old because everyone deserves healthy sleep.

Biological Age vs Chronological Age

Chronological age reflects the number of years a person has been alive. Biological age, however, reflects how old the body appears at the cellular and physiological level. Two people may both be 50 years old chronologically but have very different biological ages depending on lifestyle, health conditions, genetics, and environmental exposures (6).

Researchers often estimate biological age using molecular markers inside the body. One widely used approach examines DNA methylation patterns, sometimes called an “epigenetic clock,” which analyzes chemical modifications on DNA that change in predictable ways as people age (7). When biological age exceeds chronological age, it is called epigenetic age acceleration  (8), which is associated with increased disease risk and higher mortality from age-related conditions  (9).

Because biological aging reflects the cumulative impact of stress, illness, and lifestyle over time, researchers are increasingly studying how chronic health conditions may influence these epigenetic changes.

The Role of Consistent Treatment in Slowing Health Decline

Treatment is central to reducing the long-term health burden associated with obstructive sleep apnea. The most common therapy, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), works by delivering pressurized air that keeps the airway open during sleep. By preventing airway collapse, CPAP relieves obstructed breathing and reduces repeated awakenings that disrupt normal sleep architecture (10).

Research shows that even a single night of CPAP use can reduce oxygen deprivation and sleep fragmentation while increasing restorative slow-wave and REM sleep (11). These improvements allow the body to achieve more stable nighttime physiology.

Consistent use of CPAP also appears to influence broader health outcomes. Clinical analyses have found that patients who regularly adhere to CPAP therapy have a lower risk of major cardiovascular or cerebrovascular events compared with those who do not use the treatment consistently (12). Large population studies further show that positive airway pressure therapy is associated with reduced overall mortality and fewer major cardiac complications in people with obstructive sleep apnea (13).

Because untreated OSA repeatedly stresses the cardiovascular system, consistent therapy is essential for long-term health.

When to See a Sleep Specialist for Sleep Apnea

If you think you or your child has sleep apnea, the sooner you connect with a sleep specialist, the sooner you can get help (and turn back the clock). Call The Insomnia and Sleep Institute of Arizona today, or complete the online form to schedule your consultation. No referral is needed.

Patients are welcomed at convenient locations in Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Gilbert, making expert sleep care accessible across the Valley.

References

  1. Sleep Apnea and Heart Health. (2026). Www.heart.org. https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/sleep-disorders/sleep-apnea-and-heart-disease-stroke
  2. Pandey, A., Demede, M., Zizi, F., Al Haija’a, O. A., Nwamaghinna, F., Jean-Louis, G., & McFarlane, S. I. (2010). Sleep Apnea and Diabetes: Insights into the Emerging Epidemic. Current Diabetes Reports, 11(1), 35–40. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11892-010-0164-9
  3. Sleep apnea accelerates aging, but treatment may reverse it. (2022). ScienceDaily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/03/220309131834.htm
  4. Yamagishi, K., Ohira, T., Nakano, H., Bielinski, S. J., Sakurai, S., Imano, H., Kiyama, M., Kitamura, A., Sato, S., Konishi, M., Shahar, E., Folsom, A. R., Iso, H., & Tanigawa, T. (2010). Cross-cultural comparison of the sleep-disordered breathing prevalence among Americans and Japanese. European Respiratory Journal, 36(2), 379–384. https://doi.org/10.1183/09031936.00118609
  5. Rogayan, D. V., & Padre, E. M. (2025). Sleep epidemic in the Philippines: A silent driver of cardiovascular risk. International Journal of Cardiology Cardiovascular Risk and Prevention, 26, 200431. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcrp.2025.200431
  6. Field, A. E., Robertson, N. A., Wang, T., Havas, A., Ideker, T., & Adams, P. D. (2018). DNA Methylation Clocks in Aging: Categories, Causes, and Consequences. Molecular Cell, 71(6), 882–895. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2018.08.008
  7. Chitta, P., Barrow, T. M., Pratumvinit, B., Dawangpa, A., Kaewboonruang, W., Khamrangsee, S., Korolchuk, V. I., & Sae-Lee, C. (2025). Exploring DNA methylation age and the influence of physical performance, and hypertension on frailty in elderly women. Scientific Reports, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-13175-0
  8. Mendelson, M. M. (2018). Epigenetic Age Acceleration. Circulation: Genomic and Precision Medicine, 11(3). https://doi.org/10.1161/circgen.118.002089
  9. Chen, B. H., Marioni, R. E., Colicino, E., Peters, M. J., Ward-Caviness, C. K., Tsai, P.-C., Roetker, N. S., Just, A. C., Demerath, E. W., Guan, W., Bressler, J., Fornage, M., Studenski, S., Vandiver, A. R., Moore, A. Z., Tanaka, T., Kiel, D. P., Liang, L., Vokonas, P., & Schwartz, J. (2016). DNA methylation-based measures of biological age: meta-analysis predicting time to death. Aging, 8(9), 1844–1865. https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.101020
  10. Wilckens, K. A., Jeon, B., Morris, J. L., Buysse, D. J., & Chasens, E. R. (2022). Effects of continuous positive airway pressure treatment on sleep architecture in adults with obstructive sleep apnea and type 2 diabetes. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 16. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2022.924069
  11. Sun, Y., Lei, F., Luo, L., Zou, K., & Tang, X. (2023). Effects of a single night of continuous positive airway pressure on spontaneous brain activity in severe obstructive sleep apnea. Scientific Reports, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-36206-0
  12. Sánchez-de-la-Torre, M., Gracia-Lavedan, E., Benitez, I. D., Sánchez-de-la-Torre, A., Moncusí-Moix, A., Torres, G., Loffler, K., Woodman, R., Adams, R., Labarca, G., Dreyse, J., Eulenburg, C., Thunström, E., Glantz, H., Peker, Y., Anderson, C., McEvoy, D., & Barbé, F. (2023). Adherence to CPAP Treatment and the Risk of Recurrent Cardiovascular Events. JAMA, 330(13), 1255. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2023.17465
  13. Mazzotti, D. R., Waitman, L. R., Miller, J., Sundar, K. M., Stewart, N. H., Gozal, D., Song, X., Chandaka, S., Anuforo, K. (KayCee), Patel, L., Budine, D., Hensel, N., Satyakam, S., Smith, S., Ridenour, D., Jernigan, C., Early, C., Stephens, K., Jurius, K., & Sidebottom, A. (2024). Positive Airway Pressure, Mortality, and Cardiovascular Risk in Older Adults With Sleep Apnea. JAMA Network Open, 7(9), e2432468. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.32468

Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog post is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult with a licensed healthcare provider for recommendations specific to your individual health needs.