Shining a Light on Living with OSA
SHINE Survey Results
The SHINE (Sleep Health Inquiries on Needs and Emotions) survey is the largest psychosocial sleep survey ever conducted, capturing responses from 1,500 people living with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
The SHINE survey was developed and its findings analyzed in consultation with sleep health patient advocacy groups and experts. This partnership ensured that the diverse experiences, needs, and perspectives of the OSA community were accurately represented.
Apnimed initiated this groundbreaking survey to shine a light on the psychosocial impact and burdens experienced by people living with OSA. We explored the behaviors and stigmas behind OSA and how the serious sleep-related breathing disease impacts people’s relationships, careers, mental health, and more.
The SHINE survey results expose the profound daily challenges experienced by people with OSA. These results necessitate a clear call to action: calling for greater awareness, a deeper understanding of these impacts, and the need to cultivate compassion for people living with OSA.
Miranda Chappel-Farley, PhD
Sleep Neuroscientist and Patient Advocate Living with OSA
Understanding the Personal Challenges of Living with OSA
SHINE reveals the often-overlooked effects of OSA on people’s everyday lives. The survey provides a clearer picture of how OSA impacts individuals’ mental health, careers, relationships with loved ones, and other aspects of their lives.
Here are some of the survey’s key findings:
Extreme sleepiness and fatigue are part of daily life—and a serious safety risk.
- 74% of participants report experiencing fatigue from OSA
- 47% report inability to concentrate or focus
- 14% report a sleepiness-related motor vehicle crash in the past 12 months
People with OSA often struggle with mental health.
- 67% report feelings of depression or hopelessness
- 54% report anxiety
OSA has meaningful relationship impacts.
- 66% of participants agree that the exhaustion they experience from OSA affects their ability to be present for loved ones
- Nearly 50% of people in relationships are unable to share a bed with their partners because of OSA
OSA hinders people from fulfilling their career goals.
- 92% of participants stated that OSA symptoms affected their work productivity in the last week
- 62% of participants agree that the impact of OSA has hurt their chances of reaching their career goals
People with OSA are concerned about the consequences of the disease on their health.
- 67% of participants are concerned about the long-term health effects, or even dying, because of OSA
The stigma of the disease weighs on people with OSA.
- Nearly half of participants report that OSA makes them feel ashamed or embarrassed
Thank You to the Community,
Advocacy Partners, and Expert Consultants
The SHINE survey has powerfully captured the voices and challenges faced by individuals living with obstructive sleep apnea, a chronic illness that has failed to receive the public attention it deserves. The real-life patient experiences spotlighted in the results emphasize the need for greater awareness, for both the public and healthcare providers, to improve recognition and management of this often-overlooked condition.
Monica P. Mallampalli, PhD,
Executive Director, Alliance of Sleep Apnea Partners (ASAP)
OSA Community Stories
Read the real-world stories of people living with OSA–from diagnosis to treatment.
Submit Your OSA Story
Share your experiences living with OSA.