May News 2026
May 29, 2026
Sleep apnea often goes undetected in women, but that’s starting to change
Wired
In midlife, women are told to expect disruption. Sleep may become lighter, nights can feel warmer, and energy harder to come by. But for a large number of women, something else is happening as well: Their airway is collapsing dozens of times an hour while they sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is increasingly recognized as a far more complex and often undetected condition, particularly in women navigating perimenopause and menopause. A recent survey found postmenopausal women were around 57 percent more likely to report sleep apnea symptoms than premenopausal women, even after adjusting for body weight.
May 20, 2026
Sleep apnea? No need to lose sleep when camping
KX News
One of life’s simple pleasures is camping due to the campfires, night air, and digital detox. But for those with sleep apnea, being unplugged can be tricky when relying on a CPAP machine to breathe. A sleep health expert from Eachnight explained that it may be tempting to leave the machine at home, but it can backfire and put your health at risk. Eachnight’s CPAP Camping Guide offers some tips to help users enjoy being in nature without having to sacrifice sleep.
May 13, 2026
How Mayo Clinic experts are using AI to better detect sleep apnea, especially in women
Mayo Clinic News Network
Mayo Clinic researchers have developed an artificial intelligence algorithm that can identify obstructive sleep apnea using the results from an electrocardiogram (ECG). The innovation could make it faster, cheaper, and easier to spot sleep apnea, particularly in women, who are often underdiagnosed. The test also strongly suggests women may suffer more damage to their heart muscle cells from obstructive sleep apnea.
May 8, 2026
Study suggests epilepsy drug may help treat sleep apnea
HealthDay
A drug used in Europe to treat epilepsy may help people with obstructive sleep apnea breathe more easily during sleep, according to a new clinical trial. Researchers found that the medication sulthiame reduced breathing interruptions and improved oxygen levels overnight in people with moderate to severe sleep apnea. People who received higher doses of sulthiame had up to 47% fewer breathing interruptions during sleep compared with those taking a placebo. They also showed better oxygen levels overnight, researchers reported.The drug appears to help by improving the body’s control of breathing.
May 7, 2026
First pill for obstructive sleep apnea shows promise in third phase of study
Forbes
If a pill from Apnimed, Inc. gets approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, it could give obstructive sleep apnea sufferers another option for treatment. Apnimed announced results from the SynAIRgy phase 3 clinical trial of their AD109 pill. Just over 50% of the study participants who took the once-a-day pill had a reduction in their OSA severity while nearly a quarter, 22.3%, experienced achieved complete OSA control. Those taking AD109 also had improvements in the amount of oxygen they were getting into their blood through their lungs.