More people are being diagnosed with sleep apnea in recent years – especially here in the United States. This is a serious sleep disorder that causes breathing to stop repetitively throughout the night. Sleep apnea seems to be becoming more common. Read on to learn more about sleep apnea, why it is on the rise, its risk factors, and what you can do about them.
Why Is Sleep Apnea Becoming More Common?
Sleep apnea diagnoses are becoming more common. For many patients, this condition can be tied to one of the most common risk factors: obesity. When one has excess body weight, it can negatively affect the symptoms of sleep apnea because it puts more pressure on the upper airway during sleep. This can cause the airway to collapse and breathing temporarily stops.
Obesity has become more common all over the world, but especially in the United States. Generally, this is due to the population consuming more high-calorie, high-fat foods as well as limited physical activity. Processed foods that contain a lot of sugar, sodium and artificial ingredients can ultimately take a toll on your health. When you stick to a nutritious diet and exercise regularly, you can significantly reduce your risk of sleep apnea and other dangerous health conditions.
What Are the Risk Factors of Sleep Apnea?
Apart from obesity, there are many factors that increase your risk of developing sleep apnea. Here are some of the most prominent ones:
- Family history of sleep apnea
- Old age
- Type 2 diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Some medications
- Alcohol use
- Smoking
- Large adenoid or tonsils
- Misaligned or small lower jaw
How to Combat the Risk Factors of Sleep Apnea
For many people, making some lifestyle changes at home can prevent the onset of sleep apnea. Here are some steps that you can take to lower your risk:
- Lose Excess Weight: If you are overweight, losing excess weight can help to relieve constriction of the airway.
- Exercise: Exercising can help to improve your condition.
- Avoid Alcohol: Drinking alcohol can worsen obstructive sleep apnea and sleepiness. This is also the case with anti-anxiety medications and sleeping pills.
- Sleep Position: Sleeping on your back can cause your tongue and soft palate to block your airway. Try to sleep on your side instead.
- Keep Your Nasal Passage Option: If you tend to get congested, try using saline nasal spray to keep your nasal passages open. You could also talk to your doctor about nasal decongestants or antihistamines.
Cases of sleep apnea may be increasing, but you don’t need to be part of those statistics. By making healthy lifestyle choices at home and being mindful of your risk factors, you may be able to keep sleep apnea at bay.
About the Practice
At Danville Dental Associates, we have a team of skilled dentists serving patients in the Danville area. With their combined experience and expertise, patients can get pretty much anything they need at one of our seven convenient locations. To learn more about sleep apnea or to schedule an appointment, visit our website or call (434) 793-4116.