Tips to Relieve Shortness of Breath During Sleep Easily
What is Sleep Apnea (SA)?
SA is a breathing disorder that involves temporary reduction (hypopnea) or complete cessation (apnea) of breathing during sleep.
These episodes can last from a few seconds to several minutes and can occur multiple times throughout sleep.
SA is classified as either obstructive or central, depending on the underlying cause.
Key Features:
• Apnea: Complete absence of inspiratory airflow lasting at least 10 seconds.
• Hypopnea: Partial reduction in airflow for 10 seconds or more, accompanied by a drop in blood oxygen levels or changes in brain activity (e.g., awakening on EEG).
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA):
• Prevalence: OSA is the most common sleep breathing disorder, affecting 9%–38% of the general population.
• Health Effects: OSA is associated with psychiatric, metabolic, and cardiovascular conditions such as depression, diabetes, hypertension, and stroke.
• Impact on Daytime Functioning:
• Causes sleep deprivation due to:
• Upper airway obstruction.
• Hypoxemia (low blood oxygen levels).
• Sleep fragmentation/arousals.
• Activation of the sympathetic nervous system.
Figure 1. Normal Airway vs. Sleep Apnea Airway (Dr. Tan, 2024)
Symptoms of OSA:
• Snoring.
• Excessive daytime sleepiness.
• Choking or gasping during sleep.
• Night sweats.
• Neurocognitive disturbances.
• Heartburn.
• Morning headaches.
• Maintenance insomnia.
• Erectile dysfunction.
• Nocturia (frequent urination at night).
How to Treat OSA:
1. Weight Loss Program/Diet Management
• A balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and high-quality protein.
• Very low-calorie diet combined with an active lifestyle.
2. Exercise
• Aerobic exercise and myofunctional therapy.
• Light cardiovascular training to strengthen the tongue, throat, and soft palate muscles.
Figure 2. Jaw Exercises (Lindfors, 2018)
3. Quit Smoking/Alcohol
• Stopping smoking and limiting alcohol intake to reduce the risk of airway obstruction.
4. Assistive Devices
• Positive Airway Pressure Devices:
• Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP).
• Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP).
• Mandibular Advancement Devices:
• Mandibular repositioning appliances.
Figure 3. CPAP Device for Sleep Apnea (Soares et al., 2008)
5. Breathing Exercises/Activities
• Various types of breathing exercises, such as diaphragmatic breathing.
• Playing wind instruments.
Additional Information:
• Women may present different symptoms than men, such as fatigue, insomnia, or depression, rather than snoring or gasping.
• It is estimated that 1 in 5 adults has mild obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and up to 85% of cases go undiagnosed.
References:
• Adekolu, O., & Zinchuk, A. (2022). Sleep Deficiency in Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Clinics in Chest Medicine, 43(2), 353–371. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ccm.2022.02.013
• Andrade, F. M., & Pedrosa, R. P. (2016). The role of physical exercise in obstructive sleep apnea. Jornal Brasileiro de Pneumologia, 42(6), 457–464. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1806-37562016000000156
• Andrisani, G., & Andrisani, G. (2023). Sleep apnea pathophysiology. Sleep & Breathing, 27(6), 2111–2122. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-023-02783-7
• Courtney, R. (2020). Breathing retraining in sleep apnea: a review of approaches and potential mechanisms. Sleep & Breathing, 24(4), 1315–1325. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-020-02013-4
• Huang, Z. J., & Scheiffele, P. (2008). GABA and neuroligin signaling: linking synaptic activity and adhesion in inhibitory synapse development. Current Opinion in Neurobiology, 18(1), 77–83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conb.2008.05.008
• Javaheri, S., Barbe, F., Campos-Rodriguez, F., Dempsey, J. A., Khayat, R., Javaheri, S., Malhotra, A., Martinez-Garcia, M. A., Mehra, R., Pack, A. I., Polotsky, V. Y., Redline, S., & Somers, V. K. (2017). Sleep Apnea: Types, Mechanisms, and Clinical Cardiovascular Consequences. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 69(7), 841–858. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2016.11.069
• Kaleelullah, R. A., & Nagarajan, P. P. (2021). Cultivating Lifestyle Transformations in Obstructive Sleep Apnea.Cureus, 13(1), e12927. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.12927
• Lindfors, E. (2018). Jaw exercises in the treatment of masticatory myofascial pain: efficacy, patients’ views, and dentists’ experiences. Corpus ID: 55706096
• Peppard, P. E., Young, T., Barnet, J. H., Palta, M., Hagen, E. W., & Hla, K. M. (2013). Increased prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing in adults. American Journal of Epidemiology, 177(9), 1006–1014. https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kws342
• Soares, S. M., Oliveira, R. A., Franca, S. A., Rezende, S. M., Dragosavac, D., Kacmarek, R. M., & Carvalho, C. R. (2008). Continuous positive airway pressure increases inspiratory capacity of COPD patients. Respirology, 13(3), 387–393. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1440-1843.2008.01263.x
• Stansbury, R. C., & Strollo, P. J. (2015). Clinical manifestations of sleep apnea. Journal of Thoracic Disease, 7(9), E298–E310. https://doi.org/10.3978/j.issn.2072-1439.2015.09.13
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