In addition to seeking out a sleep apnea treatment, you can also fight next-day fatigue with these strategies to help you sleep better.
1. Sleep on Your Side
People with mild cases of sleep apnea may just need to sleep on their side, a position that helps keep the airway open, says Mendez. You can help prevent yourself from rolling onto your back at night by propping a body pillow against your back or even wearing a T-shirt with a tennis ball attached to the back.
2. Lose Weight
“For a great majority of patients, losing weight tends to help with sleep apnea,” says Mendez, who explains that excess fat can obstruct the airway. Even losing a small amount of weight was shown to decrease people’s risk of having their sleep apnea worsen by 80 percent, according to past research that followed the progress of 47 study participants over five years. In some cases, the authors noted, the participants who lost weight and kept it off were able to fully eliminate sleep apnea. (Weight loss won’t help everyone, of course, as thin and normal weight people get sleep apnea, too.)
3. Seek Out Insomnia Treatments
Sleep apnea is also linked to insomnia, a sleep disorder in which you have trouble falling (and staying) asleep.
To combat insomnia, Mendez recommends limiting caffeine, avoiding screens at night, and not looking at the clock. If you’re tossing and turning, get out of bed and do a calming activity before trying to fall asleep again. You should also be evaluated for other conditions that can affect sleep, such as leg movement disorders, anxiety, and depression.
4. Eat an Energy-Boosting Diet
One of the best ways to rev up your energy is by eating the right foods. Opt for healthy choices such as fresh fruits and vegetables and cut out energy-sapping fare like candy, soda, and other sugar-laden drinks. They may give you a temporary buzz but will leave you with an energy crash shortly afterward.
5. Avoid Alcohol
A glass of wine or bottle of beer may help you drift off at night, but that nightcap can worsen sleep apnea. “Alcohol affects the muscle tone in your upper airway, making your palate floppy, so it’s more likely to close up and collapse,” says Mendez. You should also try to avoid taking sedatives, such as benzodiazepines, which may worsen the number of apnea episodes you have at night.
6. Stay Hydrated
If you have sleep apnea, you’re at risk for becoming dehydrated at night. One reason is that your body loses fluid when you open your mouth to breathe.
And if your apnea shortens your sleep, you may be especially parched. Case in point: Sleeping six hours at night is associated with a higher risk of dehydration compared with logging eight hours of shut-eye. (Researchers think one possible reason inadequate sleep may be linked to dehydration has to do with the fact that a hormone called vasopressin, which makes sure our bodies don’t lose too much water while we sleep, is released in increasing amounts in the later stage of the sleep cycle.)
Downing a large amount of water before bed will lead to middle-of-the-night bathroom trips, so stay hydrated by regularly sipping on H20 throughout the day.
7. Get Moving
When you’re running low on energy, exercise may be the last thing you want to do, but a good workout is exactly what you need. Exercise helps battle fatigue and has the added bonus of improving your sleep by helping you relax at night, says Mendez.
If you have sleep apnea, try to do both aerobic exercise and strength training to help improve your sleep quality and lessen daytime fatigue. Research suggests this combo may tone the muscles in the upper airway, preventing collapse; reduce fluid accumulation in the neck, which can block breathing ability; and lessen inflammation.
8. Quit Smoking
Smokers (even those without sleep apnea) tend to sleep less, take longer to fall asleep, and have poorer sleep quality compared with nonsmokers. This is likely because nicotine disrupts your sleep-wake cycle, and may also apply to vaping. Smokers who have sleep apnea can fare even worse. Additionally, the smoke itself (whether it be cigarettes, cigars, marijuana, or vaping) can irritate the upper airway, making snoring and sleep apnea worse. Quitting smoking will stop lung damage and may make it easier to do things like walk up the stairs without shortness of breath in as little as two weeks after quitting.
9. Reevaluate Your Treatment Plan
If you’re actively treating sleep apnea and continuing to battle fatigue, you’re not alone. Continuing daytime sleepiness still affects an estimated of 9 to 22 percent of individuals treated with CPAP. The researchers suggested sticking to CPAP therapy, if you’re using it; improving your sleep habits, which are worth another look; asking your doctor if any of your medications are interfering with your sleep; and figuring out if you have another underlying condition that’s contributing to your fatigue, such as diabetes or hypothyroidism. You should also consider being evaluated for other sleep disorders, such as narcolepsy or restless legs syndrome.
Together, you’ll get to the bottom of it — and feel energized in the future.
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