Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a relatively common sleep disorder that many people experience. Apart from affecting the quality of your nights’ rest, sleep apnea can potentially harm your health. While there are several medically recommended approaches to managing sleep apnea, exercising and running are also very effective ways to treat sleep apnea.
While exercising or running may not be at the top of your to-do list, several studies indicate that exercise is an effective treatment option for sleep apnea. An increase in physical activity is often linked to a decreased risk of developing OSA. So, instead of slipping on that CPAP mask and going to bed, you should seriously consider practicing some exercises great for treating sleep apnea.
Different Types Of Sleep Apnea Exercises
You are probably wondering what types of exercises are great for people with sleep apnea. Typically, the best types of exercises for people with sleep apnea are those that promote better respiration and fluid movement. These include:
- Cardio Workouts
- Stretching
- Yoga
- Oropharyngeal Exercises
- Running
These exercises, especially oropharyngeal exercises help strengthen and tone the muscles responsible for keeping your airway open. These exercises also effectively complement other types of treatment as well as CPAP therapy.
The bottom line?
If you often experience Obstructive Sleep Apnea while sleeping or want to reduce your chances of developing sleep apnea, you should consider upping your physical activity. Now, let’s explore some of the pros and cons of exercising and running on people with sleep apnea.
Pros Of Exercising and Running
As I mentioned, exercising has several benefits for people with sleep apnea. Unlike CPAP devices which you have to wear almost every night, (which is why you need to understand the importance of cleaning CPAP machines) you don’t have to exercise every night to see the desired results. Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of exercise and running on people with sleep apnea.
Exercise Improves Breathing Quality
Sleep apnea is typically caused by blockages to your airway, as such practicing exercises that promote better breathing, such as yoga, are very beneficial for treating sleep apnea. Yoga is especially great for learning how to breathe from your diaphragm, which can help alleviate symptoms of sleep apnea.
Exercising Helps Reduce Fluid Buildup
Another reason why exercising is so beneficial to people with sleep apnea is that it reduces the nocturnal rostral fluid shift. A nocturnal rostral fluid shift occurs when the fluid that accumulates in your legs during the day moves to the upper chest and neck when you are asleep. This is typically common in people with high fluid retention or heart and kidney problems. When nocturnal rostral fluid shift happens, it makes the upper airway smaller and can cause sleep apnea.
Practicing exercises targeted at strengthening the throat, airways, or upper chest, especially oropharyngeal exercises can help reduce the chances of this phenomenon occurring.
Similarly, exercising and running can help you reduce the amount of fluid that builds up in your legs during the day so that there is a limited amount of fluid left when you lie down to sleep. With fewer fluids in your legs, the chances of fluid shifting to your upper airway at night are lesser.
Exercise Aids Weight Loss
Weight loss is one of the most recommended treatment options for sleep apnea. While the weight loss does not need to be drastic, a significant reduction in body weight can significantly improve sleep apnea. This is especially the case if you have abdominal fat or fat around the neck. Greater levels of fat in these areas can affect your breathing quality and cause sleep apnea. As such, it is always best to exercise to shed some of that pounds and improve your breathing quality.
Cons Of Exercising and Running
Honestly, I’d be lying if I said exercising has any negative effect on people with sleep apnea. Most doctors, therapists, and relevant medical practitioners always recommend exercising as an effective method to treat sleep apnea as it is scientifically proven to help improve sleep apnea. However, sleep apnea may be more challenging for people with sleep apnea as they often experience extreme fatigue or drowsiness during the day.
Also, the goal of exercising is to boost your level of physical activity and not to wear you out. If you exhaust yourself while exercising, it may be potentially harmful, especially since you need to quickly regain consciousness if you start choking or gasping – this can be difficult if you are extremely exhausted.
Overall, going for a short run, or practicing a few minutes of cardio and stretching can work wonders for you and help effectively treat sleep apnea.