A study by the Department of Psychiatry and Sleep Laboratory at the Université Libre de Bruxelles found that sleep apnea is most common among men, people who snore, individuals with high blood pressure, and those who are overweight.
Due to increased inflammation in the upper airways, smokers are three times more likely to develop sleep apnea. Similarly, overweight people have a four times higher predisposition. Though the exact causes of sleep apnea are still unknown, according to the study, its prevalence increases with age.