Get Moving
We’re sure you know by now that the benefits of exercise are far-reaching. Not only does regular physical activity improve muscle strength and boost your endurance, but it also helps your cardiovascular system deliver oxygen and nutrients to your tissues to give you more energy. Exercise plays a key role in keeping you healthy. It’s no wonder that it would also have a positive affect on your sleep quality, something that every sleep apnea patient strives for.
Evidence shows that being overweight increases the symptoms of sleep apnea. One of the ways that you can help treat your condition is by including regular physical exercise in your daily routine. It can help combat symptoms such as daytime sleepiness, fatigue, and the cognitive impairment that accompanies this disorder. What’s more, reducing the fatty tissue around your breathing canals can reduce obstruction, which causes sleep apnea to occur.
Getting Started
If you don’t currently get regular exercise, you may be wondering where to start — there are so many options. When it comes to helping you get a better nights sleep though, there are a couple exercise tips to think about:
- When focused on losing weight, cardio or aerobic exercise is your best bet. Start off with light jogging or walking and slowly build up your endurance. Eventually add in weight training, which helps build muscle and boosts your fat-burning metabolism. Try exercising 2–3 times per week for 60 minutes. This is a great place to start and you’ll begin to notice a difference in a matter of weeks, if you can consistently keep up the routine.
- For sleep apnea patients in particular, it’s best to exercise in the morning rather than at night. Physical activity gives you a boost of energy which you don’t want right before you go to bed. Exercise also raises your body temperature and can make it harder to feel drowsy. If you do work out later in the day, try to do so at least three hours before you go to bed.
At TMD & Sleep Apnea Clinic, we think it’s a good idea to incorporate exercise into your lifestyle as a way of improving your sleep apnea symptoms and keeping you healthy in general. If you are in the Auburn & Silverdale,WA area and have any questions about how physical activity can complement your sleep apnea treatments, please call our office for more information.
