Sleep Apnea

Sleep Apnea

Bradycardia and Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea can cause a disorder called Bradycardia. That’s when your heart rate falls below 60 bpm when you are asleep (as low as 40 BPM). Yes, a low heart rate can be the result of a healthy heart from exercise or a deep sleep, but for those with Bradycardia, obstructive sleep apnea causes repeated breathing disruptions during sleep and can create a dangerously low heart rate. Doing breathing exercises to consciously control your breathing is a healthy lifestyle choice. Having an unchecked dangerously low heart rate during sleep is not something for which you strive.

The Importance of Restorative Sleep

When your breathing is interrupted while sleeping, it not only causes you to be tired during the day, it doesn’t allow you to get something called “restorative sleep” which is necessary for the mind and body to recalibrate for the next day.

Who is at Risk for Obstructive Sleep Apnea?

The following categories are more susceptible to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA): men younger than 50 years of age; people of Hispanic, Asian or Black origin; individuals who are categorized as overweight or obese (but it’s not unheard of for some individuals who are classified as thin); smokers; excessive alcohol drinkers; people who regularly suffer from gastric reflux, and those with an underactive thyroid (a.k.a. hypothyroidism). OSA can also occur with children who have adenoids and tonsils that are considered too large. Consult your physician if you fit in any of these categories and think you suffer from OSA.

Cognitive Impacts of Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is known to cause memory or thinking problems during waking hours. These effects can also be the product of an overall lack of sleep, but it should be noted OSA hinders “restorative sleep” even if one doesn’t wake overnight. Bottom line, OSA can cause a disruption of NREM (the vast majority of your sleep time) and REM sleep (what people refer to as your dreamtime sleep), both needed to restore the mind and body for the following day.

Lung Function and Oxygenation During Sleep

OSA hinders sleepers from using their whole lung, and using the whole lung allows more oxygen to get into the blood stream which helps the brain and body to recover during sleep. In other words, OSA causes upper lung breathing instead of whole lung breathing.

All Sleep Apnea Posts Here

  • Sleep Apnea – Snoring
    This video goes over the protocol for using the Buteyko Method for overcoming snoring and sleep apnea issues.
  • Sleep Apnea – Combating It
    Here are two great exercises for one to try who suffers from sleep apnea.
  • Sleep Apnea – 3 Types
    There are three different types of sleep apnea. Watch this video to get a better understanding of what type of sleep apnea you have.