The Relationship between the Indoor Environmental Quality and Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Objectives: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common sleep disorder that can increase the risk of cardiovascular, metabolic, and neurocognitive diseases. Recent evidence suggests that indoor environmental quality (IEQ), such as air quality, thermal comfort, ventilation, noise, humidity, and odors, may increase the risk of OSA; however, more studies are needed to better understand this relationship. Material and Methods: The current study conducted a cross-sectional survey of 451 adults aged at least 18 years and living in Saudi Arabia. OSA risk was assessed using the Berlin Questionnaire, and the indoor environment quality was assessed using the Environmental-Quality Satisfaction. Multivariable logistic regression, adjusted for age, sex, and body mass index, identified independent IEQ predictors of high-risk OSA. Results: High-risk individuals reported significantly lower satisfaction with daytime temperature, noise, lighting, and ventilation, as well as smaller room and window dimensions and more frequent unpleasant odors (all p < 0.001). Internal bedroom noise was the most common disturbance in high-risk participants (>60%). Logistic models revealed that each one-unit increase in daytime comfort (temperature, noise, lighting), room-size satisfaction, and ventilation reduced the odds of high-risk OSA by 21–29%, whereas each unit increase in odor frequency increased the odds by 31%. Conclusion: Poor IEQ is strongly associated with elevated OSA risk. Interventions targeting ventilation, thermal regulation, noise reduction, and odor control may be used for OSA prevention and management inside houses.