Diabetes

Sleep apnea is associated with hypoxemia, which is a lowering of oxygen pressure in the arteries. When this occurs, the insulin resistance associated with Type II Diabetes develops in many people. The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) Task Force on Epidemiology and Prevention suggests that approximately 40% of type II diabetics also suffer from sleep apnea. When treating the cause of the hypoxemia through the use of positive airway pressure therapies, many people see a marked improvement in insulin sensitivity.