Beacon Health | Focus On You | Fall 2020

Sometimes snoring is more than just snoring. Sometimes it's a sign of sleep apnea, a potentially dangerous condition that can be hard on your heart. The most common type of sleep apnea is called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). It causes someone to stop breathing as many as 30 times or more during sleep. Breathing pauses also cause oxygen levels to go up and down, which puts a big strain on the heart. OSA also can increase the risk of heart failure, high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation (an irregular heartbeat), type 2 diabetes, and stroke. What causes OSA? OSA is caused by the collapse of the airway in the back of the nose, mouth, and throat during sleep. The vibration of the relaxed airway triggers the snoring. When the airway closes completely, it cuts off oxygen to the Exercise for your mental health Don’t ignore that snore You know that exercise can help you lose weight, build strong muscles, and stay physically fit. But can it improve your mental health too? Here are some specifics on how exercise can help you feel emotionally better. Depression. Exercise actually promotes changes in the brain that can help ease mild-to-moderate depression, such as reducing inflammation and creating new activity patterns that promote feelings of calm and well-being. Exercise also releases chemicals in the brain called endorphins that make you feel good. Anxiety. Those same endorphins that help with depression naturally help to relieve anxiety too. Exercise can be especially helpful if you combine it with mindfulness. Listen to the sound of your own breathing. By focusing on your body and how it feels to be moving, you can stop thinking about the worries that were plaguing your brain. Stress. Again, the production of endorphins released by exercise can also work to make you feel less stressed. Just moving around can help relax strained muscles, relieve back or neck pain, and chase away tension headaches. Source: HelpGuide.org; Mental Health America lungs. That's what wakes someone up, gasping for air: Oxygen can't get to the lungs and brain. Could I have OSA? Loud snoring is the most obvious hallmark of OSA. Other signs and symptoms you might have OSA include: • You stop breathing while you're sleeping. • You wake up from sleep gasping or choking. • You wake up frequently. • You have headaches in the morning. • You feel sleepy or tired during the day or have problems concentrating. How is OSA treated? Talk with your provider if you suspect you may have OSA. It can be diagnosed by a sleep study or with an at-home sleep apnea test. OSA can be treated with a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device that you wear while you sleep. It's important to not shrug off OSA as just a snoring problem. Treatment is vital to your heart—and your overall good health. Sources: American Academy of Sleep Medicine; American Heart Association Health coach Dani Reardon says: “Work toward 30 minutes a day of physical activity, five days a week. Take a 15-minute walking break, or sneak in ten minutes here and there.” Think you might have OSA? Talk to your primary care provider. To find out more about sleep studies, talk to a Northern Light Health expert. Call a Northern Light Sleep Diagnostics center: A.R. Gould: 207-768-3011 Maine Coast: 207-664-5320 EMMC: 207-973-5892 Inland Hospital: 207-859-8721 Sebasticook Valley Hospital: 207-487-4040 2 | Focus on You