Treating sleep apnea also helps reduce nighttime heartburn and coughing
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which people have trouble breathing while they sleep. They often snore loudly and wake up frequently during the night.
This isn’t just annoying; it can be dangerous. People with sleep apnea are at higher risk for health problems like high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.
A device called a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) is often recommended to help people breathe better while they sleep.
But now researchers are finding that this device can do more than just help you breathe better at night.
The study and its surprising results
The study, led by Professor Thorarinn Gislason of Iceland’s National University Hospital, looked at 822 people with moderate to severe sleep apnea.
Before they began using the CPAP machine, they answered questions about their sleep and other symptoms, such as nighttime heartburn. They also participated in an overnight sleep study.
Two years after they started using the CPAP machine, the researchers got in touch with them again. What they found was quite interesting.
People who used the CPAP machine regularly had about 42% fewer episodes of nocturnal heartburn. They also had far fewer symptoms, such as a productive morning cough and chronic bronchitis.
Researchers believe that because the CPAP machine keeps the upper airway open, it may also help keep stomach acid from going down the throat, which causes heartburn.
This could be why people using the CPAP machine also had fewer respiratory symptoms like coughing and wheezing.
What that means and what you can do
So if you suffer from sleep apnea, this study shows that regular use of a CPAP machine can not only help you sleep better, but can also help with other health issues like heartburn and coughing.
Professor Gislason mentioned that many people may not even know they have sleep apnea. Common signs to look out for are loud snoring, frequent waking up during the night and tiredness during the day.
This study now suggests that experiencing symptoms such as nighttime heartburn, coughing and wheezing could be an indication that you have sleep apnea and that you should talk to a doctor about it.
Professor Winfried Randerath, a sleep disorders specialist who was not involved in this study, emphasized the importance of getting diagnosed and treated if you think you have sleep apnea.
The benefits of using the CPAP machine go beyond just rest. It can also reduce other health risks.
So if you think you might be suffering from sleep apnea, don’t ignore it. Talk to your doctor. And if you already use a CPAP machine, try to use it regularly. It could offer more benefits than you think.
If sleep is important to you, please read studies on herbs that might help you sleep well at night, and these drugs might reduce the severity of sleep apnea by a third.
For more information on sleep, check out recent studies showing coffee increases physical activity, shortens sleep, affects heartbeat, and the results showing how you cope with “COVID somnia” and sleep well at night can.
The study was published In ERJ Open Research.
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