Study finds maintaining an active lifestyle can reduce obstructive sleep apnea risk

A new study found that maintaining an active lifestyle can reduce the risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), encouraging physicians to recommend exercise-based interventions for those at risk. The findings of the study appeared in the 'European Respiratory Journal. The new study by investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital examined the relationship between active lifestyles and the risk of obstructive sleep apnea. The study followed around 130,000 men and women in the United States over a follow-up period of 10-to-18 years and found that higher levels of physical activity and lower levels of sedentary behaviour were associated with a lower risk of obstructive sleep apnea. obstructive sleep apnea is a type of sleep apnea in which some muscles relax during sleep, causing an airflow blockage. Severe obstructive sleep apnea increases the risk of various heart issues, including abnormal heart rhythms and heart failure. Using the Nurses' Health Study (NHS), Nurses' Health Study II (NHSII) and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (HPFS), the research team used statistical modelling to compare physical activity and sedentary hours with diagnoses of obstructive sleep apnea. Both moderate and vigorous physical activity were examined separately and both were strongly correlated with lower risk of obstructive sleep apnea, showing no appreciable differences in the intensity of activity. Moreover, stronger associations were found for women, adults over the age of 65 and those with a BMI greater than or equal to 25 kg/m2. 

Obstructive sleep apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder. It causes breathing to repeatedly stop and start during sleep.

There are several types of sleep apnea, but the most common is obstructive sleep apnea. This type of apnea occurs when your throat muscles intermittently relax and block your airway during sleep. A noticeable sign of obstructive sleep apnea is snoring.

Treatments for obstructive sleep apnea are available. One treatment involves using a device that uses positive pressure to keep your airway open while you sleep. Another option is a mouthpiece to thrust your lower jaw forward during sleep. In some cases, surgery may be an option too.

 Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea include:

·        Excessive daytime sleepiness

·        Loud snoring

·        Observed episodes of stopped breathing during sleep

·        Abrupt awakenings accompanied by gasping or choking

·        Awakening with a dry mouth or sore throat

·        Morning headache

·        Difficulty concentrating during the day

·        Experiencing mood changes, such as depression or irritability

·        High blood pressure

·        Nighttime sweating

·        Decreased libido

When to see a doctor

Consult a medical professional if you experience, or if your partner observes, the following:

·        Snoring loud enough to disturb your sleep or that of others

·        Waking up gasping or choking

·        Intermittent pauses in your breathing during sleep

·        Excessive daytime drowsiness, which may cause you to fall asleep while you're working, watching television or even driving a vehicle

Many people may not think of snoring as a sign of something potentially serious, and not everyone who snores has obstructive sleep apnea.

Be sure to talk to your doctor if you experience loud snoring, especially snoring that's punctuated by periods of silence. With obstructive sleep apnea, snoring usually is loudest when you sleep on your back, and it quiets when you turn on your side.  Ask your doctor about any sleep problem that leaves you chronically fatigued, sleepy and irritable. Excessive daytime drowsiness may be due to other disorders, such as narcolepsy.

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