Share
Ever wake up gasping for breath or feel extremely tired all day, though you slept all night? Maybe your partner has complained about your snoring for weeks, months, or years. If this describes your reality, you may have sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea, which involves repeated pauses in breathing during sleep, is one of the most common but underdiagnosed sleep disorders. The pauses in breathing that punctuate sleep apnea can last seconds to a minute, and as a result, your body wakes frequently to get more oxygen. This causes an interruption to your sleep cycle. It’s no wonder you’re tired and grumpy the next day despite having seemingly slept plenty.
How Does Sleep Apnea Affect Your Heart Rhythm?
- Repeated breathing pauses during sleep lead to low oxygen levels. This stresses the heart and increases the risk of irregular heartbeats, including atrial fibrillation (Afib).
- When you stop breathing, your body responds by raising your blood pressure and heart rate, which can lead to irregular heartbeats.
- A constant lack of restful sleep increases stress chemicals and toxins in the blood. This can cause heart concerns, not to mention a risk of an accident during the day, especially if you drive or operate machinery.
These problematic heart rhythms can be rapid and irregular (Atrial Fibrillation or Afib), slow (bradycardia), or very fast (tachycardia). When the heart isn’t beating as it should, blood can’t carry oxygen throughout the body, affecting everything from the brain to the toes.
Regular check-ups help in the early detection and management of sleep apnea and related heart conditions. If a sleep study prescribed by your physician is not possible, home sleep tests are now available for sleep apnea testing. You get to sleep in your bed and environment, arguably providing a more accurate assessment of your sleeping habits. The Apple Watch now offers sleep apnea testing too, though, as with all wearables, take the results with a grain of salt.
What Can You Do to Address Sleep Apnea?
You can improve your quality of sleep and reduce sleep apnea and heart rhythm issues by making a few simple lifestyle changes:
- Keep a consistent sleep schedule by going to bed and waking up around the same time.
- Eat a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
- Aim for 30 minutes of moderate physical activity at least five days a week.
- Lose weight if you have excess weight or obesity.
- Speak to your physician about a CPAP to help you sleep better at night.
It is important to get tested for sleep apnea and monitor for changes in heart rhythm. Early detection and management of heart rhythm issues can prevent serious complications.
Fortunately, we have plenty of options for treating cardiac arrhythmias, from rate and rhythm medications, pulsed-field ablation, and cardioversion for Afib to pacemakers for slow heartbeats, known as bradycardia. Further, treating sleep apnea can also significantly improve lifestyle and heart health. Proper sleep is a key component of mental and physical well-being.
You should seek immediate medical attention if you notice palpitations or fluttering in your chest, shortness of breath at night, or chest pain. If you believe you are experiencing a heart attack, which shares some of the symptoms of Afib, do not delay in seeking emergency care or dialing 911.
References
- Linz D, et al. Sleep Apnea and Nocturnal Hypoxia about Atrial Fibrillation. Clin Res Cardiol. 2018;107(11):1029-1038. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6321897/. Accessed July 28, 2024.
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Sleep Apnea. Available at: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/sleep-apnea. Accessed July 28, 2024.
