With the rise of obesity, diabetes, and other degenerative diseases, as a society, we need to focus more attention on our hearts. It turns out that healthy sleep habits are just as important if not equally so for preserving cardiopulmonary health!
Sleep apnea is a condition that affects more than 250 million people globally, and it’s been linked to serious health complications. People experiencing frequent pauses in breathing stand deprived of oxygen for an extended period during sleep including heart disease, stroke, and even death.
Sleep Apnea, Obesity, and Heart Disease
Sleep disorder symptoms include loud snoring which may indicate upper airway narrowing caused by tortuous windpipe passages resulting in less efficient ventilation during rest periods between breaths. This leads over time not only to an increased number but severe intensity/duration.
It has been reported that obesity is a possible risk factor in both the development of sleep apnea and heart disease. Sleep Apnea alone can increase your chances of developing cardiovascular problems, but so too does being overweight or obese when combined with this condition.
Research suggests there could be an important connection between physical size and how well we manage our nights- from proper breathing while sleeping all night long to getting up feeling refreshed after waking during periods where someone snores loudly enough it interferes with restful slumber – no matter what kind you have (obstructive versus central).
Sleep apnea and obesity are two separate conditions that independently cause a person’s heart health to decline. Sleep-disordered breathing, for example, increases blood pressure levels in overweight or obese individuals – who have an increased risk of developing hypertension as well.
Moreover, OSA can affect your cholesterol level by decreasing its production through ventilation interruption during inhalation pauses between breaths; this leads many sufferers towards having high LDL “bad “cholesterol. A study has found that obesity is a common cause of sleep apnea, often related to increased deposits of fat in the neck. This narrows or blocks your airway during sleep and can lead to higher rates for OSA than someone who weighs less; however there are treatments available like losing weight! While 60 to 90% of people with sleep apnea also have obesity, only around 30% are diagnosed.
Sleep Deprivation and Heart Disease
One of the many important roles of a good night’s rest is to allow your body time for self-care and recuperation so it may be healthier in future days or weeks with less stress from a lack thereof. Sleep is a crucial time for the body to rest and recover.
Two-thirds of Americans report suffering from chronic tiredness at least once per week, which may cause a lackadaisical attitude towards work performance among employees due to not being able to get enough sleep each night.
Sleep deprivation is a serious problem for many people, and the lack of sleep can have a major impact on your health. Sleep helps to rest and recover from the day’s activities as well as maintain good mental clarity so you’re able to make better decisions about what needs attention at work or in other aspects of life – OTTP not getting enough zzzs means letting down our hearts by denying it this necessary downtime which has been linked time increased risk factors such as OSA (Obstructive Snoring Apnea) meaning excessive daytime fatigue
Sleep Apnea’s Effects on the Cardiovascular System
Sleep apnea causes repetitive pauses in breathing that can stress and potentially damage not only the heart but also other parts of your body. While researchers are still discovering ways this condition impacts cardiovascular healthiness; several biological pathways have already been suggested through studies done so far on animals as well humans with chest compression syndrome–a dangerous medical emergency where there is sudden stopping or impaired blood circulation because one’s BP has dropped too low during sleep (for example when they suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).
When sleep apnea sufferers stop breathing, it’s like losing blood. The body becomes deprived of oxygen and specialized cells called chemoreceptors detect this change which activates the sympathetic nervous system to respond to stress or danger – just as our bodies react when we are wounded in battle! “The body parts that are triggered by the sympathetic nervous system gasp for air, sometimes waking someone out of sleep.
The sympathetic nervous system also responds to a low level of oxygen by constricting blood vessels and increasing heart rate, which may lead to hypertension or make the existing illness worse.
When a person with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) attempts to breathe, they cannot inhale against the narrowed or closed upper airway. These unsuccessful forced inhalations can cause substantial changes in pressure within their chest cavity. The repetitive changes in intrathoracic pressure can damage the heart. These fluctuations lead to atrial fibrillation–an irregular heartbeat often described as rapid or inappropriate beating that may pose risks for individuals with weak hearts already suffering from other health problems like blood flow issues and even advanced stages of cardiomyopathy (a type of thickening/ Deterioration).
After each pause in breath, a person with sleep apnea will take another inhale. This brings much-needed oxygen back into their body tissues and cells throughout the rest of your organs like heart or brain which need it more than ever right now! The human body is a delicate machine and changes in oxygen levels can cause significant stress. This is called oxidative stress, which affects many organs throughout the whole organism including skin cells?
When this happens over time it could lead to wrinkles or age spots from sun damage as well as accelerated degenerative conditions such as heart disease, arthritis, etc. Oxidative stress can promote systemic inflammation, as well as neurochemical and physiological reactions that increase the risk of heart disease. This is because oxidative damage to our bodies may lead to chronic diseases like diabetes or even premature ageing!
Treating Sleep Apnea To Reduce the Risk of Heart Disease
Sleep apnea can affect your heart health and you need to speak with a doctor about the issue. Not everyone who is diagnosed with sleep apnea will experience the negative effects that come along with it, but yes; treatments are often effective. Detection of any type is an indication for treatment. Treatment may include:
Lifestyle changes: Doctors may begin by informing patients about lifestyle changes that could reduce the severity of this condition. Weight loss, exercise, and limiting alcohol are all easy ways to get started with your new healthy habit! You can also try changing up how you sleep at night (for instance on the floor instead of in bed). Lifestyle Changes for Hypothyroidism Patients.
PAP devices are a life-saving tool for those who suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or bundle of joy. Pushed into the user’s mouth during sleep, these small machines pressurize air and keep it flowing through your companion’s nose to prevent blockages that can lead to death!
Mouthpieces and oral appliances are commonly prescribed to help with sleep apnea. The appliance changes the position of your jaw, tongue, or other parts that may be constricting airways during rest periods when breathing slows down significantly for you to get better quality slumber than ever before!
If you’re struggling with sleep apnea, then your lower respiratory muscles must be in good shape. One way of doing this is through mouth and throat exercises which can help tone these muscle groups so they’re less likely to interfere when breathing during the nighttime hours while sleeping.
Surgery may be an option for people who have sleep apnea. The surgeries can involve changing parts of your body that cause narrowing or tightening muscles around the airways, as well as implanting devices to create a tighter seal in those areas.
References:
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Kapur, V., Blough, D. K., Sandblom, R. E., Hert, R., de Maine, J. B., Sullivan, S. D., & Psaty, B. M. (1999). The medical cost of undiagnosed sleep apnea. Sleep, 22(6), 749–755.
Drager, L. F., McEvoy, R. D., Barbe, F., Lorenzi-Filho, G., Redline, S., & INCOSACT Initiative (International Collaboration of Sleep Apnea Cardiovascular Trialists) (2017). Sleep Apnea and Cardiovascular Disease: Lessons From Recent Trials and Need for Team Science. Circulation, 136(19), 1840–1850.
Jean-Louis, G., Zizi, F., Brown, D., Ogedegbe, G., Borer, J., & McFarlane, S. (2009). Obstructive sleep apnea and cardiovascular disease: evidence and underlying mechanisms. Minerva pneumologica, 48(4), 277–293.