How Sleep Apnea and Acid Reflux Affect Your Sleep Health, And What You Can Do

Did you know that acid reflux can lead to sleep apnea? Acid reflux is a condition where the stomach acid comes up from the stomach and goes into your esophagus. This can cause heartburn, chest pain, or trouble swallowing.

Acid reflux often happens at night when we’re sleeping because our muscles relax while we sleep, which causes gravity to push fluid down towards our stomachs.

It is important to get acid reflux treatment in Citrus Heights as it can interfere with your ability to breathe at night.

What is Acid Reflux?

Acid reflux occurs when stomach acid escapes from the stomach and flows up into your esophagus. The most common symptom of acid reflux is heartburn or chest pain after eating a meal high in fat or spicy foods. Acid reflux can also cause a dry cough or hoarseness in the throat.

Other causes of acid reflux include diet, lack of exercise, and smoking.

Acid reflux is a chronic condition that can be treated with medication and lifestyle changes.
You should always consult your physician before getting any treatment or making significant dietary or exercise changes.

What is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is when there is a disruption in breathing or shallow breaths while you sleep, and it is categorized into three types:

• Obstructive Sleep Apnea: This is the most common type of sleep apnea and makes up about 80-90% of all Sleep Apnea cases.
• Central Sleep Apnea: Central sleep apnea happens when the brain fails to signal the breathing muscles to move air in or out, which doesn’t provide enough oxygen for the body.
• Complex Sleep Apnea: Complex sleep apnea is a combination of both Obstructive and Central sleep apnea. It also includes instances where the person wakes up gasping for breath or starts breathing very quickly during their sleep cycle.

Many factors can contribute to sleep apnea, including genetics, obesity, nasal allergies, or a deviated septum.

Sleep apnea is four times common in men over 40 years old. Furthermore, it is three times as likely to occur in people who are overweight or obese.

What is the Link Between Acid Reflux and Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a chronic sleep disorder that causes people to stop and start breathing, usually during Sleep. It results from either the throat muscles relaxing to allow air to flow into the lungs or a blockage within the nose caused by enlarged adenoids and tonsils.

Acid reflux happens when excess stomach acid flows back up into your esophagus, the tube that connects your mouth to your stomach.

The two conditions are often linked because they share a common cause: When you sleep on your back, gravity presses down on the contents of your abdomen and causes them to flow upward by way of a natural opening called the esophageal sphincter.

They also share many of the same risk factors, such as obesity.

However, it is worth noting that sleep apnea can occur even if you are not overweight or obese, but it is much more common in those who have a higher body mass index (BMI).

What are the Treatments Options of Sleep Apnea and Acid Reflux?

The most common form of sleep apnea treatment is the CPAP device, which keeps the airways open. You can also use other therapies like oral appliances. Visit a sleep clinic in 95610 for an assessment and consultation on which treatment is most suitable.

Acid-suppressing medications, antacids (neutralize stomach acid), and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are all stomach acid reflux treatments.

However, if you want an alternative way of treating your acid reflux, then consider:

• Avoiding fatty foods or caffeinated drinks
• Chewing food slowly so that it is easier on your stomach
• Staying away from foods high in fructose like fruit juices
  Omega-three has also been shown to help with Acid Reflux symptoms.

Final Thoughts

You should consult a doctor if you have long-term and ongoing problems with heartburn (you experience it more than once per week, or that your condition worsens over time) and have problems with sleep or insomnia.

Consulting a sleep doctor near you can help identify any undetected sleep breathing disorder and recommend an appropriate treatment.

Visit Sacramento Natural Dentistry for more information on how you can manage acid reflux to improve sleep.