Poor sleep habits can quickly spiral into a neverending cycle of insomnia that is hard to break. Unfortunately, a continuous lack of sleep can also affect your health and overall well-being in numerous ways.

For those specifically who have a chronic illness, poor sleep habits can worsen your illness's symptoms, which can also turn into a cycle of both poor sleep and poor health that seems nearly impossible to break out of. And for those who don’t have health issues, falling into bad sleep habits can increase your chances of developing a chronic illness down the road.

So, if you have a chronic illness and want to get better, or if you want to maintain your health and prevent disease in the future, breaking your cycle of poor sleep habits is the first place to start.

Men with overweight or obesity and moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea receiving CPAP assigned to undergo an interdisciplinary weight loss and lifestyle intervention had improved outcomes and health-related quality of life.

Today, we will look at how STOP-Bang can help identify sleep apnea patterns and problems. When the muscles in the back of your throat relax too much, they do not allow for normal breathing. The muscles support your mouth roof (soft palate), the hanging tissue from the soft palate (uvula), the tongue, and the tonsils.

When these muscles are relaxed, the airway narrows as you breathe which lowers the level of oxygen in your blood causing a buildup of carbon dioxide. Your brain is triggered by the impairment in breathing which rouses you from sleep. Snorting, choking, or gasping is correcting the problem with a few deep breaths.

“This pattern can repeat itself five to 30 times or more each hour, all night long. These disruptions impair your ability to reach the desired deep, restful phases of sleep, and you'll probably feel sleepy during your waking hours.”

If you are one of the 18 million adults in the United States who have obstructive sleep apnea, getting a good night’s sleep can be incredibly challenging. To lead a good quality of life, it’s vital that you are well-rested throughout the night, helping to boost energy levels and stamina.