Sleep, Ageing, and Quality of Life: Why Breathing Well at Night Matters Long-Term

This International Quality of Life Month, it’s worth pausing to think about one of the most overlooked foundations of long-term wellbeing: how we sleep — and more specifically, how well we breathe while we sleep.

Sleep isn’t just a nightly pause from the world. It’s when the body carries out essential repair work, the brain consolidates memories, hormones rebalance, and the nervous system resets.¹ Over years and decades, the quality of this process plays a powerful role in how we age and how good life feels as we get older.²

The Long-Term Impact of Sleep on Longevity

Large-scale research involving 172,321 adults highlights just how significant sleep is for long-term health. The findings showed that men who consistently get adequate sleep live around five years longer than men who don’t. For women, the difference is around two years.² These are not small margins — they represent years of life potentially gained or lost based on something many of us sacrifice without much thought.

Despite this, around one third of adults regularly cut their sleep short.² Long workdays, screen use late into the night, stress, and untreated sleep issues all contribute. Over time, chronic poor sleep increases the risk of serious health conditions including heart attack, dementia, and diabetes.³

Why Breathing Matters During Sleep

Breathing plays a central role in sleep quality. Conditions such as sleep apnea disrupt breathing throughout the night, fragmenting sleep and reducing oxygen levels — often without the person realising it’s happening.⁴ You might still spend eight hours in bed, yet wake feeling unrefreshed, foggy, or irritable.

Over the long term, this type of disrupted sleep places extra strain on the heart, brain, and metabolic systems. What makes sleep-related breathing issues particularly challenging is how easily symptoms can be normalised.

When Symptoms Are Easy to Overlook

Loud snoring, waking with a dry mouth, morning headaches, or feeling tired despite “enough” sleep are often brushed off as stress or ageing. However, these signs can be important clues that your body isn’t getting the restorative sleep it needs to support healthy ageing and long-term quality of life.

Left unaddressed, ongoing sleep disruption can quietly affect mood, concentration, energy levels, and emotional resilience, gradually reducing day-to-day enjoyment and functioning.³

Quality of Life Is About More Than Longevity

Quality of life isn’t only about adding years to your life — it’s about adding life to your years. Good sleep supports mental clarity, emotional stability, physical health, and the ability to enjoy relationships, work, and everyday pleasures as we grow older.²

This International Quality of Life Month is a timely reminder that sleep health deserves attention, not resignation.

If you’ve noticed ongoing sleep problems, loud snoring, pauses in breathing during sleep, or persistent daytime fatigue, speak to your GP or a qualified health professional. Addressing sleep and breathing issues early can make a meaningful difference to how you feel today — and how well you live in the years ahead.

How Sove CPAP Clinic Can Help

Founded in 2008, Sove CPAP Clinic has grown to become a leading provider of respiratory and sleep services and products in Australia, with over 60 clinics nationwide. Our comprehensive clinical team includes Respiratory & Sleep Specialists, Sleep Technologists, and CPAP Consultants, ensuring that you receive comprehensive and personalised care. All medical procedures, including sleep studies and lung function testing, are bulk billed to all Australians, with minimal wait time.

If you would like to speak to a Respiratory & Sleep Physician, book a bulk-billed sleep study, or seek advice for your sleep apnea, you can reach us at 1300 76 29 39 or info@thecpapclinic.com.au.

ALWAYS FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS FOR USE. CPAP is used for Obstructive Sleep Apnea treatment. When considering whether a sleep study or CPAP is right for you, speak to your doctor. Medicare criteria and T&Cs apply.

References

1. Summer, Jay. “Eight Health Benefits of Sleep.” Sleep Foundation, 29 Feb. 2024.

2. Bowman, Alisa. “Sleep and Longevity: How Quality Sleep Impacts Your Life Span.” Mayo Clinic Press, 19 Jan. 2024.

3. Colten, Harvey R., and Bruce M. Altevogt. “Extent and Health Consequences of Chronic Sleep Loss and Sleep Disorders.” National Academies Press, 2006.

4. Slowik, Jennifer M., and Jacob F. Collen. “Obstructive Sleep Apnea.” StatPearls Publishing, 2024.