Acid Reflux Sleep Apnea

Acid Reflux Sleep Apnea: The Chicken and Egg Medical Mystery

If you find yourself suddenly waking up in the middle of the night because of heartburn episodes or experiencing frequent periods of wakefulness with chronic symptoms of sleep apnea, then you are probably suffering from acid reflux sleep apnea. Acid reflux and sleep apnea is a painful combination of digestive disorder and severe sleeping troubles, which has left several individuals with plenty of sleepless nights and burning pain.

Although researchers have yet to find compelling evidence directly linking acid reflux sleep apnea, the prevalence of patients suffering from both conditions has lead researches to posit three possible theories to explain their association. First, some researchers hypothesize that the damage acid reflux causes on the esophagus and the throat causes vocal chord spasms that can injure sensitive tissues in the throat and larynx, thereby leading to breathing difficulties and sleep apnea. Second, there are those who believe that people with sleep apnea are forced to breathe harder during sleep, which as a result pushes food and acids back to the throat causing nocturnal acid reflux.

However, there are still those who believe that the prevalence of both acid reflux and sleep apnea on patients could be due to a third condition, for example obesity, which causes both disorders to appear simultaneously on patients. In all cases, however, researchers believe that discovering the relationship between these two conditions can go a long way in developing more appropriate treatment and cures to eliminate the disorders.

Coping with Acid Reflux Sleep Apnea

Regardless of the relationship between acid reflux sleep apnea, one thing is certain – that the people suffering from both disorders not only experience physical pain and difficulty while sleeping, but they also compromise their physical, mental and emotional health due to the lack of restful sleep.

So what should you do if you are suffering from both acid reflux sleep apnea? Here are some tips:

• Consult your physician. The first thing you should do if you suspect acid reflux sleep apnea is to consult your physician. Since there’s a possibility that you’re not really suffering from both acid reflux and sleep apnea, but just a severe case of one of the two disorders, remember to give a detailed description of your sleeping conditions as well as your attempts to get sleep. This should give your doctor enough information to develop an effective therapy plan.

• Avoid the heartburn. Since heartburn can both cause acid reflux and worsen sleeping disorders, attempts to control heartburn should help lessen a patient’s discomfort during sleep. So avoid eating foods that trigger heartburn and alter your lifestyle to prevent it. This includes quitting unhealthy habits like smoking and excessive drinking, as well as lessening your intake of spicy foods that can irritate your throat, larynx, and esophagus.

• Develop good sleeping habits. Begin adopting habits that promote good sleep to avoid acid reflux sleep apnea. This includes avoiding meals 3 hours before sleeping to prevent night time indigestion and heartburn, elevating your head by 6-8 inches when sleeping to prevent backflow of stomach contents, and managing stress so you can keep yourself relaxed before sleep.

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