Among the many factors that influence our well-being, sleep plays a crucial role, directly impacting our mental and physical health. However, sometimes, sleep disorders are both the cause and consequence of deeper pathologies. Among them, sleep apnea (or more precisely obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome or OSAHS) and depression, two distinct conditions, seem to have a close and complex link. As a reminder, insomnia is one of the sleep disorders most often associated with depression.
According to a study published by the National Library of Medicine, nearly 90% of patients suffering from depression also have sleep problems. The observation is the same for insomnia, which points out that people suffering from anxiety or depression would be 7 to 10 times more likely to suffer from chronic insomnia (when the disorders occur more than three times a week for more than three months) than others. This is why many researchers are interested in the determinants of the relationships between insomnia and anxiety-depressive disorders.
Additionally, a 2025 sleep survey by the American medical equipment company ResMed indicates that 25% of French respondents say that insomnia impacts their ability to sleep at night. But this problem is not the only one. Sleep apnea is also a common sleep disorder, affecting 30.5% of people over 65, according to Inser. This is a sleep disorder where the sleeper suffers from breathing pauses or a decrease in respiratory rate. These repeated drops or stops in breathing generally only last a few seconds but lead to a drop in blood oxygenation. The heart, therefore, works abnormally hard to try to mobilize all the oxygen reserves. These breathing difficulties cause micro-awakenings lasting a few seconds, of which the sleeper is not necessarily aware. “People who suffer from it complain of daytime sleepiness, headaches, waking up suddenly during the night, night sweats, having to get up at night to urinate, irritability, and even depressive episodes,” says the medical journal Vidal on this subject.
Depression can cause sleep problems just as sleep problems can cause depressive disorders.
How is there a bidirectional relationship between depression and sleep apnea? ” Depression can cause sleep problems, just as sleep problems can cause depressive disorders. People withh depression are five times more likely to suffer from sleep-disordered breathing. Determining what came first can be complicated because of this complex interaction, ResMed explains. However, the organization deplores some confusion within the medical community that sometimes makes diagnosis difficult. Otherwise, while more than 280 million people worldwide suffer from depression, a portion of this population could have untreated OSAHS, as the two conditions are often confused with each other. The risk of suffering from depression is 1.6 times more frequent in patients suffering from mild sleep apnea and multiplied by almost 3 in patients suffering from moderate to severe sleep apnea, according to the results of a study published in 2025 by the National Library of Medicine.
It is also important to know that many symptoms are common to both pathologies: fatigue, lack of energy, difficulty concentrating, memory loss, and sexual dysfunction can make the initial diagnosis complex. As a result, some people may notice symptoms of depression before identifying those more characteristic of sleep apnea. Added to this is the fact that while the symptoms of sleep apnea are more obvious in men (loud snoring, panting or sensations of suffocation at night, etc.), they are more subtle in women (sleep disturbances, difficulty falling asleep, memory problems), which makes the diagnosis even more complex. This difficulty in recognizing the symptoms is reinforced by a general lack of awareness of OSAHS. According to the same ResMed survey, 29% of people surveyed do not know what sleep apnea is, a figure that even reaches 51% among 1824-year-olds. Furthermore, almost half of French people (48%) are unaware that their sleep problems may be linked to this disorder.
Treating sleep apnea can improve depression. Here’s why
There is no doubt, then, that the link between depression and sleep apnea is now established, with one of these conditions being able to mask the other and vice versa. But despite its complexity, studies conclude that sleep apnea treatment also sometimes has an impact on mental health. Indeed, people using the treatment for at least four hours per night see significant improvements in their quality of life. According to a study published in the journal Sleep Medicine, it also leads to a lasting improvement in the symptoms of depression. This is also what Dr. Jean-Arthur Micoulaud-Franchi, a lecturer and hospital practitioner in neurophysiology at the University of Bordeaux, states in an article published by the Sleep Apnea Alliance ” treating sleep apnea, particularly with a continuous positive airway pressure machine used every night throughout the night, improves the architecture of sleep and its restorative role.” The brain then becomes better able to cope with stressful situations, emotions are better regulated, nd symptoms of fatigue and depression diminish. However,
the specialist specifies that it is sometimes necessary to try several machines or machine settings to find the solution that best suits the patient and will allow them to regain restful sleep and quality of life. The latter,, therefor,e recommends not hesitating to discuss it with the technician of the service provider company and the doctor who prescribed the CPAP machine (or Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, which delivers air under slight pressure to open the airways). It is also possible that sleep treatment is not enough and that depression then requires treatment by a psychiatrist. For its part, the Resmed company concludes that ” depression and sleep apnea are linked, and it is important to know the difference between these two illnesses. While sleep apnea sometimes remains misunderstood, the symptoms shared between these two conditions make diagnosis all the more difficult. Understanding this bidirectional relationship, as well as identifying and treating sleep apnea, can promote better overall health and an enhanced quality of life.”
It should be noted that the INSV* also warns in a dedicated brochure against this little-known link, specifying in particular that 18% of apnea sufferers take an antidepressant. ” Depression and sleep apnea have common symptoms… the two can coexist. Untreated sleep apnea causes fragmented sleep and a lack of energy, which can lead to symptoms of depression or anxiety. These symptoms can improve with apnea treatment. Untreated depression increases sleep difficulties, fatigue, or pooconcentration, whichonleadsd to a reduced response to sleep apnea treatment. Not treating one of these conditions increases cardiovascular risks and hurts the quality of life. Sufficient, good-quality sleep is essential for physical and mental health,” the organization warns. According to him, maintaining regular bedtimes and wake-up times, getting exposure to daylight, and engaging in regular physical activity are all habits that help you take care of yourself and your sleep.
