What Researchers Did
Researchers investigated whether 6 to 7 days of intermittent hypoxic exposure (IHE) improved sleep quality and quantity in sea-level residents subsequently exposed to 4300 meters altitude.
What They Found
While the IHE group's resting arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) increased from 75% to 81% during the exposure period, both IHE and SHAM groups showed significantly higher sleep SaO2, fewer desaturation events, and increased time asleep at 4300 meters post-treatment. The IHE group, unlike the SHAM group, also experienced significantly lower sleep heart rate but a trend towards more awakenings at altitude.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
The study was limited by its small sample size and the specific, short-term nature of the intermittent hypoxic exposure protocol.