Exercise Your Way to Sleep Apnea Relief
Sleep apnea, a medical condition characterized by moments of breathlessness during sleep, has many serious symptoms. Snoring, dry mouth, headache in the morning, and frequent nighttime waking are all issues experienced by sufferers of this disorder. These symptoms can be stressful and frustrating too, leaving many wondering what they can do to alleviate them. In conjunction with continuous positive airway pressure therapy, or the use of a CPAP machine, exercise can be a wonderful way to find relief from sleep apnea.
What Causes Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
There’s a big question in the sleep apnea community about which came first: obstructive sleep apnea or obesity. Obstructive sleep apnea often occurs as a result of excess weight around the neck and chest, increasing the likelihood of airway collapse. However, obstructive sleep apnea also promotes weight gain, making exercise equally as important, no matter the cause. If you’re suffering from sleep apnea and are experiencing weight gain or are already overweight, exercising your way to sleep apnea relief may be for you.
Does Exercise Really Improve Sleep Apnea?
Contemporary studies find that exercise has a significant impact on sleep apnea and its associated symptoms. One study found a 60 to 71% improvement in obstructive sleep apnea severity in patients who began an exercise regimen for about 12 weeks.
Exercises to Try
The most important part of starting a work out routine is finding an exercise style that feels good to you. Exercise should be enjoyable, so find something you love to do. Yoga, walking, and swimming are all great options for those new to exercise. If you’d like to start an exercise routine, talk to your health care team about your best options.
Tongue and Throat Exercises for Sleep Apnea
Not only are there exercises to lose weight, exercises exist to strengthen tongue and throat muscles in hopes of prevent obstruction of the airway during the night. Your physician may not be familiar with these regimens, if you need help finding more information on them, contact a sleep specialist.
No Matter What, Treat Your Sleep Apnea
While exercising is a great way to get healthy, getting immediate treatment for sleep apnea is equally as important. Untreated sleep apnea increases your risk of diabetes and serious cardiovascular events like stroke. If you’ve been diagnosed with sleep apnea, take a look at our top of the line CPAP machines on Breatheeasycpap.com. From Resmed to Philips Respironics, our CPAP systems are only the best quality. Don’t delay your treatment. Instead, fight your sleep apnea from both sides with plenty of exercise and effective CPAP therapy.
