Sleep apnea is tied to osteoporosis and bone fractures, new research finds.

About 54 million Americans over the age of 50 are affected by low bone mass, and about 10 million of them have osteoporosis.

Obstructive sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that occurs commonly in this population as well, and has been linked to multiple adverse health effects, including high blood pressure, heart disease, and depression.

Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland theorize that sleep apnea may be an unrecognized cause of osteoporosis because it seems to interrupt bone remodeling, a process in which mature bone is removed and new bone tissue is rebuilt, even while we sleep.

The study appeared in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research.