Exercise is for More than Your Weight
Every time January rolls around, we know to expect the never ending commercials for the local gyms and for all of the stores to put their exercise equipment and clothing on sale. A large percentage of New Year’s resolutions are related to fitness and weight loss each year. While exercising for weight loss is beneficial in so many ways, that shouldn’t be the sole reason you decide to introduce fitness into your life. A daily fitness regime, even if it is just walking, is extremely beneficial for different medical conditions, including sleep apnea and TMD.
Stress can be linked to TMD. With all that we have been going through over the past few months, it is no surprise that both stress and TMD related issues are on the rise. Patients who have never experienced symptoms are now feeling the effects of the added stress and tension. Introducing daily exercise into your routine is a wonderful way to naturally combat stress by releasing endorphins to the brain.
If you are being treated for sleep apnea, exercising daily can help you sleep more soundly at night. Aerobic exercises can help increase your breathing and heart rate, which in turn can strengthen the muscles in the upper airway helping to lessen the symptoms experienced at night.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle will not only benefit your sleep apnea and TMD symptoms, it will also help you achieve a better quality of life. Even if you are out of shape, a little exercise can go a long way. If you are just starting out on your exercise journey, it is important to start off slowly and build your endurance. Yoga, walking, biking, and swimming are great low-impact workouts to try if you are a beginner.
Before starting any form of exercise or fitness plan, we encourage you to call and speak to our staff to ensure that it is beneficial to your treatment plan. We are always happy to help and we hope to see you soon at our office located in Auburn & Silverdale, WA
