Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that affects 1 and 5 people worldwide. It is a condition characterized by loud snoring, but is actually a very serious disorder. Sleep apnea involves brief pauses in breathing throughout the night. This can have severe consequences for the body, as oxygen levels drop constantly throughout the night.
This lack of oxygen can lead to inflammation, morning headaches, and a decreased quality of life. Sleep apnea also causes disrupted sleep throughout the night as the body wakes up to begin breathing again. This may be below the level of consciousness of the person with sleep apnea, so they wake up exhausted and have no idea why.
The gold standard treatment for sleep apnea is a continuous positive airway pressure machine, or a CPAP. It blows air into the back of the throat to keep the muscles from collapsing so the airway is open. Although it is a great treatment, it can be uncomfortable throughout the night. However, there may be a way to further improve sleep apnea symptoms - through diet. Continue reading to learn more about the study that showed how diet can improve sleep apnea, even without significant weight loss.