Uploaded on Sep 22, 2022
A person with acute insomnia is familiar with the torture of a missed night of sleep. But, if you woke up groggy and exhausted every morning, you might not be able to handle it. This is what happens with patients of OSA
What are the best sleep positions to improve sleep apnea
What are the best sleep positions to improve
sleep apnea
A person with acute insomnia is familiar with the torture of a missed night of
sleep. But, if you woke up groggy and exhausted every morning, you might
not be able to handle it. This is what happens with patients of OSA, a
condition where a person’s breathing momentarily stops at night. In such
cases, daytime sleepiness and brain fog are constant reminders that you are
not catching on good quality rest even after lying in bed for the required
hours. To improve this problem, there are many solutions available. One of
these is changing your sleep position. Here is all you need to know about it!
What is obstructive sleep apnea?
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) refers to a condition where the person cannot
breathe normally at night because of airway obstruction. The pauses in the
respiratory functioning degrade the quality of sleep, because of which you
wake up feeling tired and exhausted the next day. In people with this
condition, excessive daytime sleepiness, loud snoring, difficulty concentrating
on tasks, abrupt awakenings accompanied by a choking noise, and morning
headache are common.
Sleep apnea causes the patient to awaken, even if it is just momentarily,
because of a hindrance to breathing. The episodes, called arousals, are similar
to the instance when someone shakes you awake from your sleep. Because of
this, you catch up on fragmented and non-restorative sleep.
Explain severe sleep apnea disruptions
People with obstructive sleep apnea experience sleep disruption and lack of
oxygen saturation while resting at night. As a result, the untreated condition can
prove dangerous for your overall health and well-being. People in severe
conditions may experience about 500 episodes in a single night. In milder cases, up
to 15 arousals every hour are common, which means you are awakening every 4
minutes throughout the sleep period, leading to bad sleep fragmentation.
Sleep apnea worsens with time, and more episodes occur during the period of
REM sleep. During their period, your eyes move rapidly, which is why it is called
rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. The human body cycles through REM sleep in 70
to 120 minutes, and the period increases with each cycle. As a result, most of the
REM sleep concentrates during the final hours, just before you wake up.
Possible treatments for sleep apnea
For sleep apnea, several types of treatment methods are available. One of
these is altering your sleep position. Making this lifestyle change can prevent
the collapse of the airway. This, in turn, may treat the condition or reduce its
severity. The four best sleep positions among which you can make a choice
include lying on your left side, right side, belly, or back with an elevated head.
Experts suggest that for apnea patients lying on the back (in the supine
position) can worsen things. It is so because when you rest in that position,
the tongue falls back and blocks the airway. Switching to your side can lessen
or alleviate snoring and other apnea symptoms. But, the mentioned sleep
position can be awkward for people and may cause them to wake up with a
stiff neck. Thus, it is vital to choose a thick pillow. For stomach sleepers, a thin
pillow is a suitable choice.
Sleep apnea can be caused because of several reasons. To manage the
condition, you should try different cures. One such treatment is altering your
sleep position. It can help improve your rest quality.
Thank You
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