Sleep apnea is a severe sleep disorder affecting a person’s ability to breathe properly. It can cause interruptions in breathing that last for 20 to 30 seconds and occur several times throughout the night. This condition poses a significant risk to one’s health as it can lead to hypertension, stroke, diabetes, and headaches. Getting screened, diagnosed, and treated as early as possible is essential to avoid complications and life-threatening situations.

Tips for sleep apnea relief with better eating habits
Since sleep apnea is a respiratory disorder, along with medication, doctors recommend multiple approaches, like losing weight, engaging in physical activity, eating healthy food for the lungs, exercising to improve muscle strength, and cutting down on smoking and drinking. Changing eating habits can contribute to many risk factors associated with sleep apnea. Here are some easy tips to prevent complications arising from sleep apnea:

1. Eat smaller meals
Eating a heavy meal for dinner can put pressure on the digestive system. Digestion takes many hours, and it is slower during sleep. Heavy eating before bedtime can cause heartburn, increase acid reflux, and put additional pressure on the lungs.

2. Avoid sugary food
Sugar promotes inflammation and can almost cause stress in the respiratory system. Sleep apnea is also associated with higher sugar levels, and many are insulin resistance. One should avoid eating sugar-rich food like desserts before bedtime as it can aggravate sleep apnea.

3. Refrain from foods that increase body temperature
Certain types of food can increase body temperature and disturb sleep. However, one can still consume them daily as the body can metabolize them during full sleep. To avoid any disturbances in sleep quality, it is best to avoid consuming mangoes, eggs, oatmeal, dark chocolate, and fermented foods at night, as they increase body temperature.

4. Avoid caffeine after lunch
Caffeine can keep one awake for long hours, affecting sleep quality. So, one must avoid drinking coffee after 3 p.m.

5. Avoid hard drinks
Hard drinks can cause inflammation, block airways, and cause breathing difficulties. The throat muscles that regulate breathing tend to relax, causing snoring, which can increase the risk of sleep apnea.

6. Do not consume bananas before sleeping
Bananas are rich in fiber and potassium as they can increase mucus production and cause sleep disturbance.

7. Shift to lean meat from fatty meat
Fatty meat contributes significantly to inflammation and increases body weight, both high-risk factors for sleep apnea. One must avoid fatty and processed meats like bacon, sausage, ham, hot dogs, pepperoni, deli meat cuts, roast beef, and beef jerky.

8. Use plant-based milk instead of full-fat milk
High-fat dairy is one of the culprits that increase inflammation and cause excessive mucus production. Cheese, decadent cream dairy desserts, and creamy pastas can all cause discomfort at night and increase sleep apnea symptoms. Switch to plant-based milk or low-fat milk for beverages and cooking.

Improving sleep apnea symptoms involves more than just changing eating habits. Specialized pillows, removable mouth appliances, and CPAP machines are essential to ensure a continuous oxygen supply throughout the night. Wearable devices that use technology to monitor breathing can also be helpful. Doctors can use this data to plan treatment or adjust prescriptions as needed.