Do you often experience an energy crash in the early morning or afternoon?
Do you feel sleepy even after a full night’s rest?
If so, you may be experiencing the effects of interrupted sleep.
While there are many things that can keep you from catching all your z’s, the most common cause of daytime sleepiness is sleep apnea.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
According to the National Health Institute: “Sleep apnea (AP-ne-ah) is a common disorder in which you have one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while you sleep.” (1)
These pauses can last from a few seconds to even a few minutes and may occur up to 30 times an hour during your slumber. Breathing then restarts with a loud snore or choking sound. This interruption in your breathing actually drives you out of deep sleep and into light sleep, where you’re more likely to be woken up by strange noises or bodily needs.
Sleep apnea is a chronic condition, meaning that it’s likely to disturb your sleep nearly every night. Because it affects sleep quality, sleep apnea can cause daytime sleepiness, inability to focus, and even weight gain and illness (2).
In fact, the condition is known to cause high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, and diabetes.
How Your Muscles Come Into Play
Sitting all day at your desk isn’t great for your body.
In fact, prolonged sitting actually shortens your lifespan and leaves you more prone to infection and disease. It also takes its toll on your muscles, which can become atrophied or over-stressed from your stiff posture and lack of movement.
Your psoas muscles connect your groin to your pelvis and low back and stabilize your spine and align your body (3).
Long periods of sitting actually shorten this muscle, causing back pain, hip pain and posture problems.
What’s more, your hip flexors are connected to your diaphragm, the chief muscle that allows you to fill your lungs with air. Hence, your psoas muscles can impair your ability to breathe deeply not only during the day but at night too. Without deep breaths, it’s almost impossible for you body to be relaxed.
Luckily, there’s a quick stretch you can do to loosen them up before bed for a nice, restful sleep.
2- Minute Sleep Apnea Home Remedy
You’ll Need
- A Padded mat
- A wall
- A yoga block or large book
Steps
- Lay on your back and place your left foot flat on the wall. Let the block support your pelvis.
- Fold your right knee and draw it into your chest, hugging it with your arms.
- Hold for one minute.
- Switch sides and repeat.
Practice before bed for best results.