Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which a person stops breathing for short periods of time. These episodes of non-breathing occur several times during sleep. Sleep apea can cause daytime drowsiness, irritability, headaches, fatigue and serious consequences such as high blood pressure, heart disease or stroke. Obese people are at high risk of sleep apnea due to the constriction of airways while sleeping.
How are Obesity and Sleep Apnea Related?
Obese people are at risk of Obstructive Sleep Apnea, a sleep disorder in which a person has pauses in sleep due to obstruction of airway.
In obese people, excessive fat in the chest area prevents the normal movements of the chest muscles and diaphragm, which affects the respiratory muscles. Excessive adipose tissue in the neck area constricts the airways and lungs, triggering obstructive sleep apnea.
Obesity in abdominal area and upper body highly increases the risk of sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apea due to obesity is also known as Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome.
Treating Obesity related Sleep Apnea:
To treat obesity-related sleep apnea, weight loss through daily physical activity and healthy diet is recommended. In severe cases, doctor may recommend bariatric surgery to overcome obesity.
PAP (Positive airway pressure) which involves using a machine to help in breathing, may be used to prevent obstructive sleep apnea.
Obesity is a major risk for obstructive sleep apnea. With the increase in obesity, the risk of sleep apnea also increases. Hence, losing excessive weight through exercising and proper diet can help a person in overcoming sleep apnea.
How Home Remedies and Yoga can Treat Obesity Related Complications?
Most of the anti-obesity drugs are partially effective. They are costly and require medical supervision from day one. At the most these drugs and treatment techniques treat the ailment. They can hardly bring the much needed change in our mindset about our own health. Home Remedies are easily available in our kitchen, their benefits are time tested and they can be taken in the privacy of our homes. They have no side effects at all.
Yoga is practised in the east, especially in India for more than 5000 years. It can treat human ailments and disorders. Regular practice of Yoga can develop us mentally and spiritually apart from providing good health to the physique. Realization of the benefits of Yoga can stop us from making wrong food and drinks choices. There are several resources in the form of books, Cds and Websites on Internet which can teach us Yoga.
