How to Live Sustainably with Sleep Apnea?
Sleep Apnea is a breathing related condition which can be categorized as serious. When awake, people usually don’t show breathing issues related to the condition. It is only in the nights, patients suffering from sleep apnea show direct symptoms of the condition like inability to breathe and get adequate Oxygen. This happens when the air pipes are constricted, due to various reasons, to a point where inhalation stops. The inadequate suppy of Oxygen results in the patient waking up through a loud snort and catching their breath back, after which they regain sleep. If it is at an advanced stage, this cycle will happen over and over again, which is why treatment and a complete lifestyle change is required for living sustainably with this condition.
Lifestyle Change 1 – Sleeping with OSA
The position in which you sleep greatly influences the condition. Sleeping on your back can aggravate breathing trouble during sleep. This is because, in this position the relaxed muscles of the throat can close owing to the pressure on it. Lying on the back can also cause the tongue to block the throat, cutting off air supply to the lungs.
National Institutes of Health conducted a research on Sleep Apnea patients and observed that the patients slept better on their sides. Ref: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6740055 . The best way to sleep is on the side. The airways are not constricted and the tongue doesn’t block the throat in this position.
It is also good for patients to keep their pillow in an elevated position and sleep on it. Patients can also replace their flat bed for an adjustable one, the back rest of which can be elevated. The elevated position can alleviate the symptoms of sleep apnea. Since sleep apnea is classified as a lifestyle condition, a lifestyle change such as shifting to a adjustable bed can prove beneficial.
Lifestyle Change 2 – Smoking and Drinking
Smoking is a habit which can cause massive health issues on it’s own. But for patients who suffer from sleep apnea, smoking is a habit that can prove really dangerous. Sleep apnea causes high blood pressure and cardio vascular diseases. Smoking to is a cause of cardiovascular disease. Added to this, smoking causes inflammation in the respiratory system, resulting in obstruction in the airways, which aggravates the condition. It is very important for a sufferer of sleep apnea to kick this habit before it’s too late.
Alchohol consumption too can aggravate the condition. Alchohol relaxes the muscles. When a sleep apnea patient drinks alchohol, it can cause the muscles of the throat to relax further than it already is, which again can cause obstruction in the air pipes, blocking air from entering the airways. It is best to avoid alchohol and make this lifestyle change. If this is not possible, drinks need to be had much earlier in the evening – the last drink should be atleast 3 hours before sleep.
Making these habit changes will definitely result in an improvement in the condition.
Lifestyle Change 3 – Exercise
Weight loss is a lifestyle change which can improve sleep apnea drastically. Weight loss can reduce the pressure when one sleeps on the respiratory system. It can also make the tissues around the throat lighter making it easier to inhale without trouble during sleep.
Rather than going for drastic weight loss measures like surgery, it is best to ease into an exercise plan which can lead to normal weight loss. It is best for a sleep apnea patient to have their weight loss plan carefully guided by their doctor or sleep specialist.
An effective exercise plan like weight training can do a great deal to relieve the symptoms of sleep apnea. Weight training and upper body workout strengthens the muscles in the upper body, causing the muscles around the throat and respiratory system to become stronger.
Additionally, exercises focussing on muscles that are involved directly in the condition can be targetted to be strengthened. Sleep apnea sufferers can do easy tongue and throat exercises to strengthen these muscles so they do not relax and constrict the air passages.
Sleep apnea is a a condition that maybe caused by certain lifestyles like smoking, drinking, irregular eating and drastic weight gain. Due to this reason, it can also be drastically improved through big changes in one’s lifestyle.