Obstructive sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder that increases risk for cardiovascular disease and mortality. The severity of sleep-disordered breathing in obstructive sleep apnea patients fluctuates with the seasons, opening the possibility that seasonal changes in light duration, or photoperiod, can influence mechanisms of breathing. Photoperiod can have profound effects on internal timekeeping and can reshape metabolic rhythms in mammals. While the daily rhythm in ventilation is largely shaped by the metabolic rate, less is known about whether ventilatory rhythms are altered in accordance with metabolism under different photoperiods. Here, we investigate the relationship between ventilation and metabolism under different photoperiods using whole-body plethysmography and indirect calorimetry. We find that the daily timing of ventilation is chiefly synchronized to dark onset and that light cues are important for maintaining daily ventilatory rhythms. Moreover, changes in ventilatory patterns are not paralleled by changes in oxygen consumption, energy expenditure, or respiratory exchange rate under different photoperiods. We conclude that ventilatory patterns are not only shaped by the metabolic rate and circadian timing but are also influenced by other light-driven factors. Collectively, these findings have clinical implications for the seasonal variations in sleep-disordered breathing found in individuals with obstructive sleep apnea.

阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停是一种常见的睡眠障碍，会增加心血管疾病和死亡率的风险。阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停患者的睡眠呼吸障碍的严重程度随季节而波动，这就有可能是光照持续时间或光周期的季节性变化会影响呼吸机制。光周期可以对内部计时产生深远的影响，并可以重塑哺乳动物的代谢节律。虽然每天的换气节律很大程度上取决于代谢率，但对于不同光周期下的换气节律是否会根据代谢而改变，我们知之甚少。在这里，我们使用全身体积描记法和间接量热法研究了不同光周期下通风和新陈代谢之间的关系。我们发现每天的通气时间主要与黑暗开始同步，并且光提示对于维持日常通气节律很重要。此外，在不同光周期下，通气模式的变化与耗氧量、能量消耗或呼吸交换率的变化并不平行。我们得出结论，通气模式不仅受代谢率和昼夜节律时间的影响，还受其他光驱动因素的影响。总的来说，这些发现对阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停患者中睡眠呼吸障碍的季节性变化具有临床意义。不同光周期下的能量消耗或呼吸交换率。我们得出结论，通气模式不仅受代谢率和昼夜节律时间的影响，还受其他光驱动因素的影响。总的来说，这些发现对阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停患者中睡眠呼吸障碍的季节性变化具有临床意义。不同光周期下的能量消耗或呼吸交换率。我们得出结论，通气模式不仅受代谢率和昼夜节律时间的影响，还受其他光驱动因素的影响。总的来说，这些发现对阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停患者中睡眠呼吸障碍的季节性变化具有临床意义。