Have Sleep Apnea Symptoms? Exercise Can Help!

Sleep apnea can make it difficult to get the restorative sleep your body needs. Although treatments such as CPAP therapy, oral appliances, and other approaches are often necessary, lifestyle habits can also play an important supporting role. One of those habits is regular exercise.

Exercise doesn’t cure sleep apnea, but it may help reduce symptoms and improve sleep quality. Here’s how staying active may benefit people with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Exercise Can Support a Healthy Weight

Excess weight is a significant risk factor for obstructive sleep apnea. Fat deposits around the neck and upper airway can contribute to airway narrowing during sleep, increasing the likelihood of breathing interruptions.

Regular physical activity can help you maintain or achieve a healthy weight when combined with a balanced diet. Even modest weight loss may improve sleep apnea symptoms for some people. However, sleep apnea can affect people of all body types, so weight isn’t the only factor involved.

Physical Activity May Improve Sleep Quality

Regular exercise can help regulate your sleep-wake cycle and promote more restful sleep. Moderate aerobic activities such as walking, swimming, cycling, or jogging may help you fall asleep more easily and improve overall sleep quality. Strength training can also be beneficial as part of a well-rounded fitness routine.

Try to exercise consistently rather than relying on occasional intense workouts. If exercising close to bedtime makes it harder for you to fall asleep, consider working out earlier in the day.

Exercise May Benefit Airway Function

Some research suggests that exercise may improve sleep apnea symptoms even when significant weight loss doesn’t occur. Physical activity can support cardiovascular fitness and may influence muscle function and other factors associated with breathing during sleep.

Exercises that strengthen the muscles involved in breathing and airway control may also have potential benefits, although they shouldn’t be considered a replacement for established sleep apnea treatments.

Exercise Supports Overall Health

Sleep apnea is associated with several health concerns, including high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. Regular physical activity supports heart health, helps manage blood pressure, and can improve energy and mood.

In other words, exercise may benefit your overall health while also supporting better sleep.

Don’t Rely on Exercise Alone

While exercise can be a valuable part of a healthy lifestyle, it shouldn’t replace professional treatment for sleep apnea. Untreated sleep apnea can have serious health consequences, and symptoms such as loud snoring, gasping during sleep, morning headaches, excessive daytime sleepiness, or witnessed pauses in breathing should be evaluated.

If you’ve been diagnosed with sleep apnea, continue using your prescribed treatment and discuss your exercise plans with your healthcare provider or sleep specialist.

Regular exercise may help reduce sleep apnea symptoms by supporting a healthy weight, improving sleep quality, and promoting better overall health. But remember: don’t count on exercise itself to solve the problem. Talk with a qualified dental professional who treats sleep apnea about appropriate testing and treatment.

About the Author

Dr. Steven Oshins is a graduate of the University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine and completed a dental sleep medicine residency at the University of North Carolina in April 2019. Now, he’s applying what he’s learned to add years to his patient’s lives by opening their airways and giving them the rest they need with nighttime oral appliances. If you’d like to see Dr. Oshins for sleep apnea treatment, give our Schenectady office a call at (518) 356-5635 or contact us online.