If your partner’s snoring is pushing you to the limit, one solution might be to take away their Sunday roast – and not just as revenge.
Research shows that a healthy, plant-based diet reduces the risk of sleep apnea by about a fifth.
The study, published in ERJ Open Research, found that those who consumed the most vegetables, fruits, whole grains and nuts were 19% less likely to have sleep apnea than those who ate the least plant-based, healthy foods.
The researchers also found differences in the risks for women and men, with a plant-based diet having a greater effect on reducing apnea risk for the latter.
Sleep apnea occurs when the airways become too narrow while you sleep, preventing you from breathing properly. It has been linked to obesity, having a large neck, smoking and drinking alcohol, and sleeping on your back.
Patients with the condition often snore loudly, stop and start breathing, and wake up with gasping, snorting, or choking sounds.
Research has shown that obstructive sleep apnea increases the risk of sleep apnea cardiovascular diseaseirregular heartbeat, stroke, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and depression. It affects an estimated 1 billion people worldwide and treatment often involves losing weight, among other lifestyle changes.
Dr. Yohannes Melaku, from Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia, who led the study, said: “These results highlight the importance of the quality of our diet in managing the risk of obstructive sleep apnoea.
“It is important to note these sex differences because they underscore the need for personalized nutritional interventions for people with obstructive sleep apnea.
“This research doesn’t tell us why diet is important, but it could be that a healthy plant-based diet reduces inflammation and obesity.
“These are key factors in the risk of obstructive sleep apnea. Diets rich in anti-inflammatory components and antioxidants and low in harmful nutritional elements can influence fat mass, inflammation and even muscle tone, all of which are relevant to risk.” Researchers examined data from 14,210 people who participated in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which provided 24-hour information about what they ate.
Food groups were categorized as healthy plant foods (whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, tea and coffee), less healthy plant foods (refined grains, potatoes, sugar-sweetened beverages, sweets and desserts, salty foods), and animal foods. foods (animal fat, dairy, eggs, fish or seafood and meat).
People also answered a questionnaire to gauge whether they were likely to suffer from sleep apnea.
Professor Sophia Schiza, head of the European Respiratory Society meeting on sleep-disordered breathing, said: “If we are aware that including a wide variety of vegetables, fruits and whole grains in our diet, while minimizing minimizing the consumption of unhealthy foods and sugary drinks, minimizing the consumption of unhealthy foods and sugary drinks can improve our overall health.
“We need to make it as easy as possible for everyone to eat healthy.”