Exercises for sleep apnea that really work

Charis1213

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Wasn't sure where to put this so chose here as this is an exercise .

As a sleep apnea sufferer I found this video really works .

 

kitedoc

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Hi @Charis1213, Thank you for this video.
As someone who suffers with a degree of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) which requires CPAP treatment, has read a lot about it, but not as professional advice or opinion:
With all due respect to you and this Chiropractor who appears earnest and well-meaning:
1) OSA can only at this time be diagnosed by a formal sleep study
2) during such a study you are asleep for much of the time and therefore unaware of how your breathing, oxygen levels etc are.
The sleep study is an objective one, providing measurements which can be used to diagnose and grade the quality of your sleep and the grade of severity of any OSA present and provide a way of comparing your OSA over time by doing more sleep studies if needed. Where as your feelings etc about your sleep and how much better or worse you feel with no or some treatment are subjective - there are no measurements to back up and validate your feelings and observations ( and in any case you are asleep when your OSA happens so what observations can you make)?
3) My understanding is that when you are asleep it is the involuntary muscles such as our breathing muscles (diaphragm, muscles between the ribs) and muscles in the throat area and so on that are at work. Involuntary muscles works on auto when we are asleep, some may be completely out of our control, others we may have some partial control over when awake.
All the presenter's exercises are ones done whilst awake - I have to question how they would be useful when one is asleep except if his exercises strengthen the muscles which are involuntary when we are asleep but which we can partially control when we are awake. But he has not presented any data to show that his exercises are effective during sleep or episodes of OSA.
There are no sleep studies presented to back up his claim.
4) there are various grades of severity of sleep apnoea - from mild requiring no intervention; to moderate, requiring ways to avoid certain sleeping postures to wearing jaw splints; and to CPAP machines at the severe end of the range.
The presenter made no reference to these grades of OSA. It is unclear about whether he is referring to all grades when he advocates his exercise program and its usefulness.
5) Whilst he does not suggest anyone stop any other OSA treatment neither does he suggest you consult your treating specialist before undertaking these exercises to see if they are appropriate or not. Some persons may be led into believing that these exercises can obviate their need for other treatment or to continue current treatment.
6) Sleep apnoea is a big deal health-wise with some grades being linked to later heart problems, to T2D and obesity, and to increased risk of motor vehicle accidents (MVAs). Because my grade of OSA is severe, rather than mild, I have to prove to my treating specialist that I am wearing my CPAP machine for any appropriate average of time per night and achieving a safe level of treatment effect. Otherwise I am at risk of losing my car license. Again as in 2) and 4) above, if I abandon my CPAP treatment in favour of these exercises, I may risk killing or maiming myself or others on the road.
1) to 6) are my points to refute the usefulness and appropriateness of the video. They are, as mentioned above, my view, not a formal professional stance or opinion. I am a TID of normal weight for height and age.
 

Charis1213

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The exercises strengthen the throat and tongue which help with sleep apnea .
I think exercises just like walking for diabetes are there to improve our health, sleep apnea can be reduced in severity by strengthening the throat and tongue just the same as weak muscles , its only a suggestion and I found them helpful .
My doctor never referred me to a specialist because I just think the surgery are too tight lol.

I understand what you are saying but i posted this because as a sufferer myself , where it might not help everyone or by any stretch of the imagination cure anyone it might help .
 
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kitedoc

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Hi @Charis1213, my specialist made clear that a doctor cannot make a diagnosis of OSA for a patient without confirmatory results of a properly performed sleep study. In that respect without proof you could not say you have the condition or are a sufferer of it nor can your doctor, no matter how much you might believe it.
In a sense it would be like saying you have diabetes without having confirmatory blood glucose tests, HBA1C etc.
You may think exercise can help but you have no proof of it. A suggestion is not proof. Nor can tell you what is helping as
A) you have no proof of the condition in terms of test results
B) no way of making an objective comparison between before and after exercises
And if your doctor believes you have this condition how does he prove to the DVLA that with his diagnosis of you that you a safe to hold a car license ?? He might be prosecuted if he does not report your supposed diagnosis and, as you suppose you have this diagnosis, you might be also prosecuted for not declaring it.
Doesn't it sound better to get a proper diagnosis from a proper doctor !??
 

zauberflote

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okra. Cigarette smoke, old, new, and permeating a room, wafting from a balcony, etc etc. That I have so many chronic diseases. That I take so very many meds. Being cold. Anything too loud, but specifically non-classical music and the television.
@Charis1213 and @kitedoc first, I don’t wish to assert myself in this discussion, “taking sides”.
I watched this with great interest, as my DH has snoring and dx apnea, and we’re in a stage right now where no mask fits, and turning on his side to sleep when I poke him hard has become painful to his back.
As a professional flute player of 50+ years experience, I see the exercises presented as beneficial to nearly anyone. Every move he made except the last one is something that a wind instrument player, apnea or no, must be able to do in spades, “backwards and in high heels”, as is said of Ginger Rogers. IOW, we strengthen the very muscles he works on, simply by playing our instruments with excellent technique. So there can’t be a whole lot of harm in doing the exercises.
If we strengthen and tone our glutes or quads, they will remain potentially toned while we sleep. My hands remain as potentially agile asleep as awake, although they don’t do much about it while sleeping. My very highly trained and strengthened diaphragm remains highly trained and strong while I sleep.
All of this opens up territory for exploration by some doctoral candidate! “Lifelong Effects Of Wind Instrument Playing On Sleep Apnea Diagnoses”. (Clearly I have never done doctoral level work!)
So.. I am going to assign these to Mr ZF, as it is I who suffers when he snores, and I will certainly know if the exercises are changing his snoring and snorking patterns!
Kitedoc, I do bow to your high level of expertise here, but I speak only for my own sleeping partner and myself.
Charis, thanks for posting this!
 
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Charis1213

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@zauberflote thank you . I really hope this helps your hubby . My hubby said I hardly get sleep apnea now since i started these exercises . :)

PS there are a few other video's on exercises for sleep apnea too I just found this one helped me .
 
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