Care For Your Sleep

Posts Tagged ‘sleep apnea’

The importance of regular good night’s sleep is very well known. Those who regularly sleep good have much better abilities to focus, improved memory, improved blood pressure, lower risks of developing many serious diseases, as well as other health benefits. And many of us want to know what is the best position to sleep? Some of us feel comfortable sleeping on the back, some like falling asleep laying in the side position, and some enjoy stomach-sleeping. Is there any recommended position which is considered the most comfortable and the healthiest to sleep?

According to the findings of a recent study, sleeping on the back should be considered the best position to sleep. This position allows total relaxation of our neck and spine, it helps us to find the most comfortable position for our head as well. Also, experts say that this is the best position to slow down formation of wrinkles on our face and prevent acid reflux. However, those who suffer from such sleep disorders as snoring or sleep apnea should avoid sleeping on the back because this position is not favorable for the mentioned conditions and can contribute in making then even worse.

Side-sleeping is also considered a great position for a good night’s sleep. This best position to sleep allows us stretch and completely relax our spine, prevent back or neck pains, decrease snoring and prevent acid reflux. The position on the side is recommended to pregnant women as it helps to improve blood flow to the baby. Specialists suggest that women on the latest stages of pregnancy should choose to sleep on the left side. At the same time, side-sleeping is linked to increased pressure on the shoulders, therefore, those who like sleeping on the side should stretch their shoulders in order to prevent pains and muscle soreness.

As the study have shown, stomach-sleeping should be considered the worst position to sleep. Those who like sleeping this way have minimized risks of suffer from snoring and sleep apnea, but along with that, stomach-sleeping is liked to elevated chances to suffer from neck and back pains, tightness, stiffness and numbness, higher risks to develop wrinkles and breast sagging. This position is not recommended due to extra pressure to the digestive system, too, and it can lead to irritated nerves and other unwanted health conditions.

It is a known fact that about 25% of men and women above 45 suffer from serious snoring and sleep apnea. At that, about 3% of those experience gasping and numerous interruptions in breathing, which eventually lead to constant sleep interruption at night. Recently, a group of British specialists carried out  a series of researches, which ended up with some disappointing findings. They registered new scientific evidence of the fact that snoring affects our brain activity and increases the risks of having a stroke.

The sleep of 13 volunteers (12 male and 1 female) with heavy forms of snoring (obstructive apnea) was under close observation of the scientists. It was found out that there are certain bio-chemical changes that occur in the brain under effect of snoring. Most likely, the brain is affected by a lack of oxygen caused even by a short interruption of breathing, which occurs in people with sleep apnea. Negative effect of such interruptions in breathing is very strong, that is why the specialists suggest to revise our attitude toward snoring and not to delay treatment of this ailment.

Moreover, obstructive apnea and hypopnea proved to cause decreased blood flow to brain, as well as create extra pressure on the chest and heart. The scientists say that every night the people with obstructive apnea have to fight for breathing with the same efforts as the ones they would have to spend for breathing with a hand over their nose and mouth. According to Dr. Kingman P. Strohl of Case Western Reserve University, reduced blood flow to the brain caused by severe snoring increases risks for stroke.