Slow-wave sleep (SWS) may have a protective effect for events related to sleep apnea, according to research presented at CHEST 2008, the annual meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians.

Researchers from Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC,  analyzed the polysomnography results of 20 male and 10 female patients who were previously diagnosed with OSA. The analysis showed a significant decrease in incidence of apnea events in stages 3 and 4 of SWS when compared with stages 1 and 2 (t(28) = 4.36, P <0.01). Researchers speculate that pharmacologically prolonging SWS may help alleviate some of the symptoms of OSA.