Sleep Apnea Research

As part of our broader commitment to advancing sleep health, the NHLBI leads and supports research in sleep health and sleep disorders, including sleep apnea. The research we support has helped establish the importance of getting enough good quality sleep. We have also helped define the links between sleep apnea and other serious health conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, and heart disease. We continue to support research to develop new and improved treatments for sleep apnea and other sleep disorders.

NHLBI research that really made a difference

Visit Sleep Health to learn more about NHLBI sleep research and find videos and fact sheets.

  • The NHLBI supported the Apnea Positive Pressure Long-term Efficacy Study (APPLES). The study found that continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy is an effective treatment for sleep apnea and helped establish CPAP as a leading treatment option for sleep apnea. The study results led to many other studies to improve sleep apnea treatment.
  • An NHLBI partnership with the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases discovered that sleep apnea affects more than 80% of people who have obesity and type 2 diabetes. The study also found that weight loss reduced sleep apnea better than a diabetes education program. These findings have led to additional study partnerships to determine whether sleep apnea affects how well medicine can control the blood sugar of people with diabetes.
  • The NHLBI-funded Childhood Adenotonsillectomy Trial (CHAT) provided the first study of tonsil surgery in children with sleep apnea. Tonsil surgery is still a common treatment in children. The study found that it improved sleep, certain behaviors, and general quality of life.

Current research funded by the NHLBI

The NHLBI Division of Lung Diseases is home to the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research, which supports research on sleep and sleep disorders.

Current research on sleep apnea treatment

Positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy is a common and effective treatment for sleep apnea. Yet, many people with sleep apnea find it difficult to stick to PAP therapy long-term. The NHLBI supports research that promotes healthy lifestyles and research to develop new sleep apnea treatments, such as pharmacotherapy and innovative devices. We also fund research to find new ways to help people who have sleep apnea stick to their PAP treatment plans.

Learn more about the NHLBI's research on sleep apnea treatments at NIH RePORTER.

Current research on sleep apnea in women

The NHLBI supports research to understand how sleep apnea affects the health and well-being of women.

  • The NHLBI and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) supported the nuMoM2b study. This study found that sleep deficiency and mild sleep apnea in pregnant women increase the risk of pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia and diabetes. Currently, the NHLBI and NICHD are leveraging the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units (MFMU) Network to support a Phase III clinical trial to determine whether treating sleep apnea during pregnancy lowers hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.
  • Another study looking at data from nuMoM2b found that sleep apnea in pregnancy also raises the mother's risk of high blood pressure and metabolic syndrome years later.
  • The NHLBI supports the Women's Health Initiative Sleep hyPoxia Effects on Resilience (WHISPER) study in older women. WHISPER examines whether breathing problems during sleep can raise the risk of heart disease, cancer, and problems with memory and decision-making.

Find more NHLBI-funded studies on sleep apnea in women at NIH RePORTER.

Current research on causes and complications of sleep apnea

NHLBI-supported research is helping scientists and doctors understand the causes and complications of sleep apnea.

  • The NHLBI supports research on the different causes of sleep apnea, including obesity, and why some people still have sleep apnea even after losing weight.
  • We fund projects exploring the links between sleep apnea and other serious health conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. One study found a link with risk for Long COVID after COVID-19 infection. Another recent study helps explain why sleep apnea raises the risk of heart attack and stroke.
  • Central sleep apnea is less common than obstructive sleep apnea and more difficult to treat. The NHLBI supports research to better understand this type of sleep apnea and find treatments.
  • We support NIH-wide collaborations to determine how sleep apnea affects the health and quality of life of people who have Down syndrome.

These studies may help develop new treatments for sleep apnea to prevent complications.

Find more NHLBI-funded studies on the causes of sleep apnea at NIH RePORTER.

Sleep apnea research labs at the NHLBI

The Laboratory of Systems Genetics, located within the Systems Biology Center, is focused on exploring how our genes control our sleep patterns. Scientists in this lab are also studying how factors such as diet, temperature, medicines, and loneliness can influence sleep.

Related sleep apnea programs and guidelines

  • The NIH Sleep Research Plan was updated in 2021 to focus on sleep and circadian research, including how sleep disorders and poor sleep affect women's health and other health conditions.
  • The National Sleep Research Resource is an NHLBI-funded resource for the sleep science community. It offers researchers free access to large collections of data from completed studies.
  • For 30 years, the NHLBI's National Center on Sleep Disorders Research (NCSDR) has supported and coordinated sleep science and disorders research, training, and awareness across NIH, other federal agencies, and outside organizations.

Learn more about the NCSDR's research: Celebrating 25 Years of Research to Promote Healthy Sleep.

Explore more NHLBI research on sleep apnea

The sections above provide you with the highlights of NHLBI-supported research on sleep apnea. You can explore the full list of NHLBI-funded studies on the NIH RePORTER.

To find more studies:

  • Type your search words into the Quick Search box and press enter. 
  • Check Active Projects if you want to find current research.
  • Select the Agencies arrow, then the NIH arrow, then check NHLBI.

If you want to sort the projects by budget size from the biggest to the smallest click on the FY Total Cost by IC column heading.

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