Getting a good night's sleep can do more than simply leave you feeling alert and rested in the morning. New research has shown people who have obstructive sleep apnea are more likely to develop cancer.
Moderate-to-severe OSA was associated with a 2.5-fold increase in cancer risk and a 3.5-fold rise in cancer death, according to a study by the University of Sydney Nursing School in Australia, Medical Page Today reports.
Lead researcher Nathaniel Marshall said the findings echo other studies that have linked sleep apnea to cancer, as well as heart disease and stroke.
"Mortality and morbidity in OSA seem to be driven by a combination of cancer and cardiovascular disease [particularly stroke]," wrote the researchers in a report on their study, published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.