Insomnia is a common sleep disorder characterized by difficulties falling asleep, staying asleep, or both. It can be acute or chronic depending on its duration. That said, acute insomnia, also known as short-term insomnia, lasts for a few days or weeks and is often caused by stress or a stressful event. Chronic or long-term insomnia, on the other hand, occurs at least three times a week for at least three months.

In addition, about 80% of adults experience or will experience acute insomnia at some point in their lives, whereas 14% of the general adult population suffers from chronic insomnia. And, when it comes to treatment, acute insomnia typically goes away on its own. Still, chronic insomnia requires medical treatment, especially when sleep hygiene, lifestyle changes, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) don’t provide relief.

Medications used for treating insomnia might include:

• Hypnotics
• Sedatives
• Medications that cause sedation as a side effect
• Medications directed at the circadian neuroendocrine system
• Medications used in treating insomnia-inducing sleep diagnoses

The Role of Medications in Treating Insomnia

The only medications that have proven their effectiveness when it comes to treating chronic insomnia are the latest GABA-effective hypnotics. Most of the evidence supports the efficacy of CBT and short-acting GABA-receptor agonists.

Furthermore, people with comorbid insomnia who use hypnotics can experience improved outcomes and potentially reduced morbidity and mortality, typically linked with the use of other, more toxic medications.

In those who have developed insomnia due to circadian disturbance, mood disorders like depression, or other sleep disorders like restless leg syndrome, the evidence supporting other medications’ efficacy is minimal, regardless of the widespread use.

Moreover, medications used off-label for sedative side effects and sedatives are a major factor contributing to drug-induced hypersomnolence, i.e., excessive sleepiness, which contributes to more than 30% of deaths caused by motor accidents.

On the other hand, insomnia patients who have reduced quality of life and daily function can significantly and safely benefit from hypnotic medications with low toxicity and addictive potential, as well as minimal hypersomnolence.

Other medications that produce sedation should be used carefully due to the increased risk of accidents as a result of drug-induced sleepiness, and their toxicities and negative side effects, too.

Insomnia Linked with Sleep Apnea and Its Treatment

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is another common sleep disorder affecting millions of people characterized by frequent breathing pauses during sleep.

OSA results in extreme daytime sleepiness in the majority of patients, affecting daily function and quality of life. Unfortunately, OSA severity and daytime hypersomnolence can be exacerbated by the use of sedatives, especially opiates and ethanol.

Additionally, in a part of OSA patients, disrupted breathing can lead to disordered sleep and insomnia. In this case, the go-to OSA treatment that involves special sleep equipment that utilizes positive airway pressure can improve sleep quality.

But, for others, the use of positive airway pressure can worsen insomnia, especially for those with co-morbid post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). And, for those with heart failure, the use of this sleep equipment can lead to central sleep apnea development, which is linked with insomnia, too.

The Bottom Line

Both insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea are common sleep disorders. In most cases, they require professional medical treatment. However, when it comes to medications, physicians and patients should always go for those with low toxicity, addictive potential, and minimal daytime sleepiness.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is more than just loud snoring and disturbed sleep. It silently provokes inflammation throughout your body, which, in fact, can exacerbate OSA and contribute to other health issues. Let us unravel how inflammation and obstructive sleep apnea influence each other and what you can do to break this harmful cycle.

What Happens in OSA

In OSA, your airway partially or totally collapses while you sleep. As a result, you may experience tiny awakenings, low levels of oxygen in your blood, and constant involuntary responses as you struggle to catch your breath. These disruptions last all night and put strain on your body.

How Inflammation Gets Started

Each time you stop breathing, your blood oxygen goes down and carbon dioxide goes up. Your body interprets this lack of oxygen as dangerous and in response, secretes certain inflammatory substances, such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin 6 (IL-6). Both are proteins (known as cytokines), which play crucial roles in inflammation and your body’s defense against injury and infections. Over time, this process leads to a constant mild inflammatory state that does not simply leave after you wake up. Unfortunately, this becomes chronic and hazardous.

Why That Matters

Surprisingly, inflammation is an unseen enemy. Ongoing low-grade inflammation takes a toll on your body contributing to problems with metabolic dysfunction, heart disease, blood pressure, and even thinking difficulties. Additionally, in obstructive sleep apnea, inflammation drives damage to your brain, vascular system, as well as other organs, which in turn may exacerbate breathing issues at night.

Inflammation and Brain Health

Did you know that low blood oxygen in OSA causes inflammation not only in your body but also in your brain? This involves activation of immune cells in the brain called microglia. These cells produce chemicals that trigger inflammation in the hippocampus and cortex regions of your brain, thus contributing to issues with your focus, memory, as well as decision-making process. Additionally, according to animal studies, it’s confirmed that regular low oxygen levels combined with inflammation cause loss of neurons and worsened cognitive function.

Measuring the Inflammatory Response

Research has detected several indicators of inflammation in individuals with obstructive sleep apnea, including the presence of C-reactive protein (CRP) and adhesion molecules in blood vessels besides the TNF-alpha and IL-6 (and -8) already mentioned above.

Patients with intermediate to extreme obstructive sleep apnea regularly display higher levels of these markers. The extent of elevation usually corresponds to the seriousness of their sleep condition.

Can Treatment Help?

Yes it can! The good news is that treatment can decrease inflammation. Studies show that using sleep equipment regularly reduces levels of inflammatory markers like CRP, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and interleukin 6. Hence, managing respiratory issues during sleep helps calm the chain of inflammatory events.

Additionally, oral devices that hold your jaw a bit forward to keep the airway open may also diminish sleep disturbances. Although these may not be as broadly tested for inflammation, they are helpful in alleviating the symptoms of OSA and improving the quality of sleep. As a consequence, better sleep contributes to the reduction of the inflammatory burden.

Why It Matters for Your Health

Besides obviously leading to tired mornings, untreated obstructive sleep apnea and inflammation raise the risk of heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, reduced cognitive abilities, arthritis, stroke, and even cancer. Doesn’t that make addressing the inflammation in your body a crucial part of protecting your long-term well-being?

What You Can Do

1. Get a proper diagnosis. For example, a sleep study can show how frequently your breathing stops and how low your blood oxygen drops.
2. Stick to efficient treatment, like regular sleep equipment therapy. Work with your coach or healthcare provider to make it easier for you to get used to it. If you find using sleep devices uncomfortable, oral appliances may be a good option.
3. Embrace habits that reduce inflammation:

• Stay physically active
  
• Avoid alcohol and smoking
  
• Keep a healthy body weight
  
• Consume a well-balanced diet filled with omega-3 fatty acids, vegetables, and fruits
  
• Get enough sleep

4. Stay consistent by treating OSA every night and practicing healthy habits every day. This way, inflammation will gradually decrease, and your body will heal.

Inflammation and obstructive sleep apnea seem to feed each other in a vicious cycle. Breathing pauses at night trigger chronic inflammation, which in turn makes your breathing worse and harms your organs. Treating OSA through a healthy lifestyle, oral devices, and sleep equipment has the potential to break this cycle. In doing so, you improve your sleep, reduce inflammation, and protect your brain, heart, and overall health. If you suspect this sleep disorder, reach out to a sleep expert as it could be one of the smartest health moves you’ll ever make. Good luck!

There’s no doubt that sleep is essential for both physical and mental health. However, most people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) struggle to get a good night’s sleep, although quality sleep can help them improve their breathing and function during the day. In other words, people with COPD experience coughing and breathing issues at night, which prevent them from getting enough sleep, which in turn increases daytime sleepiness, which then exacerbates COPD symptoms. In short, it is a vicious cycle.

So, how to improve sleep in COPD patients? Fortunately, there are several ways to improve sleep and manage your COPD symptoms. Here’s what you should try:

1. Consider your Sleeping Position

First, you should consider the position you are sleeping in. Namely, a somewhat upright position can reduce the stress on your lungs and prevent acid reflux from waking you up, which often happens together with COPD. Hence, consider getting a wedge pillow or elevating your mattress by putting something thick under it. Also, if you are a side sleeper, you can find placing a pillow between your legs helpful in reducing your symptoms.

2. Eliminate Daytime Napping

Next, you should avoid napping during the day. This is because daytime napping can interfere with your sleep pattern and make it even harder to fall asleep at night. Yet, if you truly need one, ensure you nap for no more than half an hour, and absolutely avoid late afternoon naps. A short nap can restore your energy, but a long or late one can prolong your sleep issues, as well as excessive daytime sleepiness.

3. Set a Screen-Free Buffer Before Bed

Avoiding using electronic devices before bed can really be helpful for your sleep. This means that you shouldn’t use your phone, tablet, laptop, TV, e-reader, etc. for at least an hour before bedtime. All these gadgets cause mental stimulation that makes dozing off hard. Plus, they all emit blue light that suppresses the production and release of melatonin, also known as the sleep hormone.

4. Do Exercise During the Day

Physical activity is generally good for improving COPD symptoms. Doing half an hour of moderate exercise three to four times a week can actually improve oxygen use, reduce shortness of breath, boost energy, build muscle strength, decrease anxiety and stress, and improve sleep. Similarly, exercise improves endurance, which means that you can do more throughout the day, and if you are more active during the day, your sleep will also get better.

5. Follow a Strict Sleep Schedule

Furthermore, sticking to a consistent sleep schedule can train your brain and body to fall asleep and wake up naturally. This means that you should go to bed and wake up at around the same time every day, even on weekends. A consistent sleep routine can also be beneficial. So, follow the same relaxing activities before bedtime each night, such as brushing your teeth, putting on pajamas, reading, listening to music, etc.

6. Make your Bedroom Sleep-Conducive

Last but not least, ensure that your bedroom is sleep-friendly and conducive to sleep. Start by ensuring that your bedroom is quiet, dark, and cool. You can also try using some light-blocking shades or an eye mask to keep your room dark. If it’s noisy, you can try wearing earplugs or buy a white noise machine. And set the temperature at around 65°F, which is on the cooler side. Finally, consider investing in a comfortable mattress, pillows, and bedding.

When you think of a good night’s sleep, you probably imagine it as a time for your body to rest and recharge. But what happens when sleep isn’t as restful as it should be? Especially for individuals with disordered breathing like sleep apnea, sleep can actually become a hidden danger that puts their heart at risk. One of the main concerns is the connection between sleep-disordered breathing and atrial fibrillation (AFib) - a common and sometimes serious heart rhythm issue. Let’s break down how these disorders are linked and why taking your sleep into account could be one of the best things for your heart.

What Is Sleep-Disordered Breathing?

Sleep-disordered breathing comprises conditions where you repeatedly stop and start breathing during sleep. The most common type is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), where the tissues in the back of your throat relax excessively and obstruct your airway. This leads to tiny interruptions in your breathing that can happen from dozens to hundreds of times each night. These pauses not only make you feel exhausted the next day, but also significantly wear down your body. Unfortunately, your heart suffers the most.

The Connection Between Sleep Apnea and AFib

AFib is a type of irregular heartbeat when your heart quivers, races, or beats off balance. Besides being uncomfortable, it can raise the chance of stroke and other complications related to your heart. Research has shown that people with sleep apnea have by far a higher risk of developing atrial fibrillation. In fact, if left without treatment, sleep apnea can increase your risk of this abnormal heart rhythm twice. In case you’ve already been diagnosed with AFib, the untreated sleep disorder can lead to a higher risk for the issue to return even after ablation or cardioversion (procedures to treat abnormal heart rhythm and to reset it back to normal).

Repeated interruptions in breathing while you sleep lower the oxygen levels in your blood. Each time this happens, your body enters a state of alarm and triggers a stress response. As a result, stress hormones are produced causing parts of your nervous system to elevate your blood pressure and heart rate. Over time, this frequent strain on your heart may modify its structure making it easier for AFib to gain control. In addition, higher pressure in your chest due to those pauses can expand the top chambers of your heart (atria), thus promoting the development of abnormal rhythms.

Why Treating Sleep Apnea Matters

Thankfully, there’s a positive side to this. Diagnosing and treating sleep-disordered breathing can play a crucial role in controlling atrial fibrillation and lowering the chance of its return. For instance, using sleep equipment, which provides a constant stream of air to maintain your airway open when you sleep, can make a huge difference. Individuals who use this therapy regularly usually see better results after AFib treatments and have lower probability of it coming back. Moreover, some studies suggest that consistent use of sleep devices may help prevent future interventions or reduce the need for medications.

It’s not just about appliances, either. Treating sleep-disordered breathing is frequently part of a bigger picture of a heart-friendly lifestyle. You might have to quit smoking, lose excess weight, avoid alcohol, and stay active, no matter what. These changes will not only improve your sleep but will also help your heart maintain strength and stability.

Don’t Ignore the Warning Signs

If you’ve been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation or are at risk, consider talking with your healthcare provider about your sleep. Basic screening questions or overnight sleep tests may show whether sleep-disordered breathing is part of the equation. And if it is, addressing it could render benefits that offer much more than better sleep.

In the end, sleep is supposed to be a time of recovery and healing, not an added burden. By paying attention to sleep-disordered breathing, you can protect your heart and improve your well-being in general. So if you or a loved one gasps for air during sleep, snores loudly, or wakes up feeling fatigued despite a full night’s sleep, don’t ignore it. It could be a warning sign worth checking out and treating it could make all the difference for your heart’s rhythm and health.

There’s no doubt that getting enough quality sleep is essential for both physical and mental health. However, many people with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) struggle to get a good night’s sleep.

OSA is a sleep disorder characterized by repeated breathing pauses during sleep, whereas COPD refers to lung conditions affecting breathing and airflow. Those with OSA experience loud snoring, waking up choking or gasping for air, extreme daytime sleepiness, etc. Those with COPD experience labored breathing, chest tightness, and coughing, especially when lying down in a horizontal position.

That being said, both OSA and COPD can have a negative impact on sleep quality and quantity. Luckily, following these tips can help patients improve their sleep:

1. Follow a Strict Sleep Schedule

First and foremost, sticking to a strict sleep schedule can help program your brain and internal clock to prepare for bedtime more naturally. This means that you have to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. Eventually, you will automatically feel sleepy at around that time, which will make falling asleep easier. Just remember that in order to function well, you need seven to nine hours of sleep each night.

2. Mind Your Sleep Positioning

We all have a favorite sleep position. However, your sleep and symptoms can improve significantly if you change the position you sleep in. To reduce snoring and OSA or COPD severity, you should try sleeping on your side with your back mostly straight. Similarly, sleeping on your back on a wedge pillow so that your head is higher than the rest of your body can also be beneficial. And, for OSA patients, you can try sleeping on your stomach.

3. Get the Right Pillow and Mattress

In addition, you should consider investing in the right pillow for your sleep position. In other words, if you prefer sleeping on your side, you should purchase a thicker pillow that provides support to the neck and takes pressure off the shoulders, as well as one that goes between the legs. Then, back sleepers should search for a thinner pillow or a wedge pillow, plus a pillow underneath the knees. And, those who sleep on their stomach should buy an even thinner pillow to keep the spine aligned.

When it comes to mattresses, a firmer mattress is more suitable for back sleepers, whereas a softer one is better for side sleepers.

4. Implement Diet Changes

Moreover, to improve both OSA and COPD symptoms, as well as improve your sleep, you should also implement some healthy diet changes, such as:

• Follow a well-balanced diet packed with fruits, veggies, whole grains, and lean proteins.
• Avoid alcohol since even small amounts can harm your sleep pattern and worsen symptoms.
• Quit smoking and you will improve your breathing within weeks or months.
• Limit your caffeine intake, especially during evening hours, because, as we already know, it can keep us from falling asleep.
• Have light and small dinners, as sleeping on a full stomach might be challenging.

5. Follow Healthy Lifestyle Habits

Last but not least, apart from following healthy diet habits, you should also consider your lifestyle and implement some changes, including:

• Practice 30 minutes of moderate exercise, three times a week, to improve OSA symptoms and build up oxygen supply.
• Avoid daytime napping since it can make it even more difficult to fall asleep at night.
• Try keeping a diary of your diet, medication, and daily activities so that you can identify what’s helpful for your sleep.