Sleep apnea is a health condition where you experience your breathing repeatedly stopping and starting during sleep. Sleep apnea can be caused by a number of factors. In adults, obstructive sleep apnea is mainly caused by excess weight. Obesity is usually linked with soft tissues around the mouth and the throat region. These soft tissues can block the airways during sleep when your throat muscles and the tongue are relaxed. Also, poor sleeping habits can aggravate your sleep apnea, such as sleeping on your back without proper support to your neck.
The most common symptoms of this potentially serious disorder include loud snoring, morning headaches, daytime sleepiness, waking up with sore throat, and mood swings. You are also likely to experience a lack of energy or zeal to do anything through the day because of the poor sleep you are getting owing to sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea and your heart health
Since sleep apnea is associated with poor oxygen circulation in the blood, it affects the sleeper’s blood pressure, and therefore can cause various cardiovascular disorders. Having obstructive sleep apnea is known to increase the sleeper’s risk of developing hypertension or high blood pressure. The possibility of recurrent heart attacks is also more. Sleep apnea is also linked with atrial fibrillation, a type of abnormal heartbeat. Before the disorder gets that bad, it is suggested you visit the doctor and cure your condition.
To prevent sleep apnea, however, there are some steps you can take. Keep reading to know more.
Health tips for better sleep
Some of the ways you can prevent sleep apnea include:
- Keep a check on your weight
Since obesity is one of the causes associated with sleep apnea, it is important to deal with that first. Some of the ways are exercising, maintaining a proper diet, and avoiding stress as much as possible. If despite following a fitness regimen, you do not lose weight, then your hormones may have something to do with it. Visit a doctor to know more about it and take better care of yourself.
- Breathing exercises
Yogic breathing exercises also can help prevent sleep apnea. Since sleep apnea and lower levels of oxygen in the blood are related, you can enhance blood circulation through these breathing exercises, and by doing so, prevent breathlessness during sleep.
- Invest in a good pillow
A memory foam pillow to prevent snores will slightly lift up your head so that there is no obstruction to your breathing. Wakefit’s sleeping pillow not only prevents snores but also is hypoallergenic, thus preventing nasal allergies. It will keep dust away from both its surface as well as its layers. You can buy this pillow here.
These are preventive steps. In case you are already diagnosed with sleep apnea, these steps will not help. You will have to visit a health practitioner as soon as possible in order to cure this condition. Do not take this disorder lightly, as obstructive sleep apnea is even known to be a cause of death.