There are people who, when they sleep, snore due to an obstruction in the airway. This obstruction can be something specific; But sometimes it can also be caused by sleep apnea. In case you don't know what sleep apnea is, it occurs when breathing stops for a few moments or becomes very shallow during sleep. This disease, in the long run, could lead to much more serious illnesses. However, physical activity has been shown to prevent sleep apnea .
Physical activity prevents sleep apnea
A study by Canadian and Australian scientists published in the North American Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine ensures that physical activity, even moderate, helps in the prevention of sleep apnea . Apparently it is a respiratory problem that affects a large part of the population.
The study is the largest to date and has involved 115,000 patients. People with a mean age of 45 years were chosen. These patients had a complete record of their medical history, lifestyle, and quality of sleep. Observing the daily physical activity of all people and without taking into account whether or not they suffered from sleep apnea, it was concluded that playing sports reduces the probability of developing the disease by 10% .
According to the statements of the research authors, the study points out how important sport is for the prevention of sleep apnea. In addition, not only intense physical activity helps: moderate activity , such as walking for a few minutes a day, reduces the risk of suffering from this disease .
The sleep disorder that affects the most in the world
According to one of the principal investigators of the aforementioned study, Lyle Palmer, cases of sleep apnea have increased considerably in recent years , in both adults and children. So it is very important to know the factors to prevent it. If one way to do it is by doing sports, this is the best solution, since it can be adapted to people of different ages and physical conditions. It also adds that physical activity brings many other benefits to people's health and that doctors should recommend more exercise.
The research findings state that increasing daily physical activity by 8 minutes and walking 20 more, considerably reduces the risk of sleep apnea. Furthermore, these results exclude other known risk factors for the disease, such as being overweight, age or gender.
Most patients are undiagnosed, but an estimated 2% of children and 5% of adults have sleep apnea . Failure to treat the disease in time can lead to long-term high blood pressure, heart disease or stroke. Insomnia, together with sleep apnea, are the two factors that most affect Spanish sleep and it is estimated that 70% of cases do not receive treatment because they have not been diagnosed.
What are the symptoms?
There are some symptoms that can help you detect the onset of the disease. Snoring, dry mouth, and fatigue breathing during sleep are some of these symptoms. It can also cause problems after you wake up, such as a headache, trouble paying attention, sudden mood swings, or excessive sleep throughout the day.
Physical activity prevents sleep apnea, but it always has to be accompanied by an adequate weight and a balanced diet.
