{"id":48,"date":"2025-12-16T23:19:27","date_gmt":"2025-12-16T23:19:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.serenesleepfl.com\/blog\/?p=48"},"modified":"2026-01-14T23:22:13","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T23:22:13","slug":"sleep-apnea-rheumatoid-arthritis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.serenesleepfl.com\/blog\/sleep-apnea-rheumatoid-arthritis\/","title":{"rendered":"Poor Sleep & Rheumatoid Arthritis \u2013 Is Sleep Apnea to Blame?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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If you have rheumatoid arthritis, chances are you have a hard time getting good sleep at night. While your autoimmune condition definitely contributes to this, there could be another disorder to blame: sleep apnea<\/a>. Studies show that 50% or more of patients with rheumatoid arthritis also struggle with sleep apnea!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To learn more about the connection between these two health issues, keep reading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Understanding Sleep Apnea<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The most common type of sleep apnea, obstructive sleep apnea, occurs when over-relaxed oral tissue or jaw misalignment prevents oxygen from flowing through the airway smoothly. When you lay down at night, the reduced oxygen levels make you wake up, disturbing your sleep cycle. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understanding Rheumatoid Arthritis<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Rheumatoid arthritis is classified as an autoimmune disorder. Unlike osteoarthritis, which is the result of simple wear, tear, and age, rheumatoid arthritis occurs when the immune system attacks your body\u2019s tissue. The result is often chronic inflammation, pain, swelling, and stiffness in the joints.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Case of Overlapping Risk Factors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you were to put sleep apnea and rheumatoid arthritis on a Venn diagram, the part where their two circles overlap would have a lot of risk factors in it. While not everyone who has sleep apnea develops rheumatoid arthritis and vice-versa, it\u2019s clear that they share many of the same triggers. Experts believe this is why those with rheumatoid arthritis have such high rates of sleep apnea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s a deeper look into how their risk factors connect:<\/p>\n\n\n\n