Can Yoga Help With Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea occurs when you experience pauses in your breathing during sleep. It can occur because of airway blockages, known as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), or because of issues in how your brain controls your breathing, known as central sleep apnea.

Depending on the type and severity of sleep apnea, treatment can include using a continuous positive airway pressure or bilevel positive airway pressure machine, surgery, medications, or other devices, per Cleveland Clinic.

In addition to prescribed treatment, lifestyle changes such as practicing yoga can also help you manage the symptoms of sleep apnea. Be sure to speak with your doctor about what approach is best for your situation.

How Yoga May Help

Yoga may be most helpful for people with obstructive sleep apnea, as most American Academy of Sleep Medicine guidelines for central sleep apnea focus on other treatments.

When your airway is blocked because of OSA, your breath becomes shallow or pauses as a result. According to Penn Medicine, this blockage occurs when your throat muscles relax to the point that tissues block the airway. Risk factors include having excess fat, sleeping in a certain position, and even tonsil size.

A study review published in the journal Sleep Medicine shows that breathing exercises associated with yoga, in addition to exercise, may help ease OSA symptoms. Other research in Sleep Medicine points to the positive effects of yoga, coupled with dietary changes, in people who were overweight and had OSA.

Yoga teaches you how to breathe fully and into your diaphragm, and may help strengthen those muscles. Some yoga poses help alleviate habitual stiffness in the neck, shoulders, and back that sometimes leads to compression of the airway as you sleep, according to PLoS One.

Yoga Breathing Techniques

A number of breathing techniques may be options for people with OSA who want to address their symptoms.

Ujjayi breath may help strengthen your breathing muscles, according to North Carolina State University. Ujjayi breathing is a type of yoga breathing exercise called pranayama. It occurs through the nose, with a slight constriction at the back of your throat. As you inhale, it's as if you are yawning with your mouth closed. As you exhale, it's as if you are trying to steam up a window, also with your lips sealed.

Inhale and exhale retention are other breath-strengthening measures related to yoga. For an inhale retention, simply inhale deeply. When you feel full of air, pause for three to five counts, then exhale slowly. Exhale retention involves inhaling and exhaling slowly and pausing at the bottom of the exhale — when you feel empty — for three to five counts.

Alternate nostril breathing involves inhaling through one nostril and exhaling through the other, per Cleveland Clinic. To perform it, close off the left nostril with your right ring finger and inhale deeply through the right side. Close off the right nostril with your right thumb, release the left nostril, and exhale completely. Inhale through the left nostril, close it off, then release the right nostril for the exhale. Continue to alternate sides for several minutes.

Yoga Poses

Numerous yoga poses stretch your spine, which may promote better sleep positions.

Cat-Cow

Start this position on the floor on all fours, according to Mayo Clinic. Inhale and drop your belly toward the floor as you lift your collarbone and tailbone. Exhale and arch your spine dramatically, tucking your chin slightly. Alternate the two postures for about 10 breaths.

Locust

Also known as the Grasshopper pose, this starts with you lying on your belly with your legs extended and arms alongside your hips. Inhale and lift your face, chest, arms, and legs off the floor. Feel your spine lengthen as you lift and squeeze your legs toward each other. Hold for three to five breaths and lower down.

Seated Twist

Sit in a cross-legged position with your shoulders balanced over your hips. Inhale and straighten your spine. Exhale and twist to the right, placing your right hand on the floor behind you and your left hand outside your right thigh. Inhale back to center and repeat on the other side. This pose may also help with back issues, per Cleveland Clinic.

Remember that yoga alone is not a substitute for prescribed OSA treatment. If you have concerns about your ability to complete any yoga pose, talk to your doctor before starting.