Sleep and Airway Conditions
Sleep and airway conditions can significantly affect your quality of life, often leading to poor sleep, daytime fatigue, and even long-term health issues. These conditions, such as sleep apnea and upper airway resistance syndrome (UARS), can be influenced by the alignment and function of the muscles and tissues in the head, neck, and upper body. Physical therapy can play a key role in managing these issues by improving posture, muscle function, and airway support.
Most sleep and airway conditions occur when the upper airway becomes blocked or collapses during sleep, making it difficult to breathe and depriving your body of the oxygen it needs. In response, your body will wake you up to protect itself, disrupting your sleep and preventing you from getting the rest necessary for good health.
Common symptoms of sleep and airway conditions include:
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Daytime fatigue or sleepiness, even after a full night's rest
Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep (insomnia)
Frequent headaches or migraines
Snoring
Teeth grinding (bruxism)
Common Sleep and Airway Conditions:
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Sleep Apnea: occurs when the airway becomes partially or fully blocked during sleep, leading to pauses in breathing and disrupted sleep patterns
Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS): Similar to sleep apnea, UARS involves difficulty breathing during sleep due to airway resistance, but without full blockages. It can result in sleep disturbances and fatigue, often caused by poor airway support from surrounding muscles.
Insomnia: Difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early, leading to poor sleep quality and daytime fatigue.
Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS): An uncontrollable urge to move the legs, usually at night, leading to difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep.
If you are constantly asking yourself why you get 8 hours of sleep and still wake up tired, or why your back and neck are always sore and you have low energy, you most likely have a sleep condition that is affecting your quality of sleep. Sleep is one of the most important and powerful antidotes in the world, because sleep is how the body heals itself. Quality sleep enables our body’s cells to regenerate, while the brain detoxifies and clears space for new thoughts, ideas, and the formation of unique neural pathways. Thankfully, our physical therapy offices in Bronxville, NY and Mamaroneck, NY are here to help!
Physical therapy can be an effective, non-invasive approach to managing sleep and airway conditions, helping to improve sleep quality and overall health. We address underlying issues to support better breathing and restful sleep by:
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Improving Sleep Posture
Strengthening Airway Muscles
Jaw and Neck Alignment
Breathing Techniques
Reducing Muscle Tension
At Prime Physio Physical Therapy in Bronxville, NY and Mamaroneck, NY, our physical therapy programs are designed to address the mechanical and postural factors that contribute to sleep and airway conditions, helping you achieve restful sleep and better overall health. We want you to get that restful night's sleep you deserve, and kick daytime fatigue to the curb!