Are Acid Reflux and Sleep Apnea Really Related?

Sleep apnea is a serious condition that may be underestimated at first, but then takes its toll until the inevitable occurs, which is death. There have been numerous cases of nocturnal deaths related to sleep apnea, which causes alarm to sufferers. Treatment for sleep apnea is available, but is there a solution if the condition is related to acid reflux? Are acid reflux and sleep apnea related?

It may not seem likely until you remember that the trachea and the esophagus are right next to each other, separated by function only through the epiglottis. As someone is under the effects of sleep apnea, the difficulty in breathing may coax gastric juices to come up from the stomach to the esophagus, which causes acid reflux and the condition known as “heart burn”. The reverse can also occur as the gastric contents can come up to your throat and block the passage of air towards your trachea. Therefore, the answer to the question of “Are acid reflux and sleep apnea related?” is clear.

Amongst sleep apnea sufferers, those suffering from acid reflux have reported worse cases of breathing difficulty during sleep than those with sleep apnea alone. If you have both acid reflux and sleep apnea, you must take the necessary measures to counter these ailments so that they will not become a nuisance to your health in the future.

Consult a Physician
This is the most important step. Considering the fact that these two are health conditions that merit immediate treatment, your physician is the best person to give prescriptions and recommendations as to how you can cure yourself. Follow his/her advice and learn what you can about your condition. Ask questions and find out the best solution possible to your problem.

Watch Your Diet
It is important that fatty, greasy, and sugary foods are avoided as much as possible to minimize instances of acid reflux. These kinds of foods have been reported to increase the chance of regurgitation, which cause acid reflux. Avoiding these foods will help in your chances for recovery.

Look Out For Extreme Symptoms
This is very important as it can actually save your life. This is even better if you sleep near another person, as he/she can tell you if something different happens to you during your sleep. List these symptoms down so that your physician can identify an illness related to them. Without this crucial step, unforeseen consequences may occur.

Relaxation And Stress Relief
Keep your body relaxed before going to sleep with techniques like meditation and breathing exercises. Any sort of tension may affect the muscles that affect your breathing and peristalsis, as well as those around your wind pipe and at the back of your mouth.

Sleeping Position
Your body position during sleep is crucial. Sleeping straight with your head and neck slightly elevated can help minimize obstructions in your air passages, as well as prevent regurgitated gastric content from coming up to your throat.

These are only preliminary measures to formal treatment, so make sure that you consult your doctor once you exhibit signs of these ailments. Are acid reflux and sleep apnea related? They definitely are.