Need Another Reason to Treat Sleep Apnea? How about a Better Golf Score?

A new study, presented at the CHEST 2009 meeting in San Diego, has found that golfers with sleep apnea can shave strokes off their golf game as well as improve their overall health by treating the medical problem.

In the study, participants who received nasal positive airway pressure (NPAP) lowered their golf handicap by as much as three strokes. The study's authors note that sleep apnea can cause sleepiness, fatigue and cognitive impairment, all of which can affect a golfer's game.

To truly be effective, NPAP needs to be used regularly. Studies have reported that men comply with treatment only about 40 percent of the time. However, the current study's authors reported a compliance rate above 90 percent, something they attribute largely to the participants' desire to improve their golfing. This apparently outweighs discomfort, inconvenience, cost, noise and embarrassment, all of which are commonly cited reasons for noncompliance.