The most common type of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea. OSA is a disorder where a person is having a hard time breathing during sleep. The word “apnea” means breathing pause, which may last up to ten seconds. This disorder happens when those muscles from the back of the throat aren’t able to keep the airway open. Central Sleep Apnea is another form of sleep apnea. This type of apnea occurs when the brain fails to control breathing during sleep.
There are more than 18 million American adults that suffer from sleep apnea. For children, it is difficult to estimate the predominance of childhood OSA. It is due to a wide variety of monitoring techniques. There is at least 2 to 3% up until 10 to 20 % of children that snore. OSA happens in both sexes and all age groups.
The effect of sleep positions on the severity of sleep apnea
Every person has his or her preferred sleep position. It depends on the comfort of the bodies when lying on the bed after an exhausting day. But, there are sleep positions that have a massive impact on the quality of sleep. People should give attention to proper sleep position. This is to avoid breathing abnormalities when sleeping. Everyone has his/her favorite sleep position. Changing sleep position helps reduce snoring and other symptoms of sleep apnea.
What is the worst sleep position when you have sleep apnea?
The worst sleep position for a person with sleep apnea is lying on your back. The gravitational force will increase, and snoring will take place. There is a tendency that the tongue, soft palate, and the jaw will drop toward the throat. Narrowing of airways will follow, and it may lead to difficulties in breathing. The supine sleeping position increases the tendency of obstructive sleep apnea.
According to a study way back in 2014, more than half of the people have obstructive sleep apnea. This is due to the supine sleep position. Being in that kind of sleep position creates breathing problems. It is vital to find the perfect sleep position to refrain sleep apnea from happening.
What is the best sleep position when you have sleep apnea?
The Lateral Sleeping Position
Sleeping on your side is a pretty good position. Especially when someone sleeps on the left side. It doesn’t only reduce snoring, but it is suitable for the digestion process. Some studies show that sleeping on the side is ideal for people who suffer from sleep apnea or too much snoring. Also, putting a pillow between the two legs will align the hips and avoid back pain.
There is an older study, where they performed the observation of 10 people for two days. On the first day, all the participants slept on the right side after taking a high-fat meal. During the second day, the individuals switched sleeping positions to the left side. This experiment is a small kind of study. The researchers found that sleeping on the right side increases acid reflux.
Sleeping positions are factors that may affect the severity of sleep apnea. It would be great to consult a sleep specialist. Sleep apnea is a disorder that needs proper treatment. At United Sleep Apnea, we care about your health condition. Dial (888) 212-8379 now. You may also visit our website https://unitedsleepapnea.com/contact-us for an appointment.