Leptin & Ghrelin: Appetite Hormones Disrupted by Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) doesn’t just interfere with breathing—it also affects your body’s ability to manage hunger. Behind the fatigue, weight gain, and sugar cravings that many people with sleep apnea report lie two hormones: leptin and ghrelin. When your sleep is fragmented by repeated breathing pauses, your body’s natural hormonal balance shifts. You may […]
Breathing Drills to Calm the Nervous System Before Bed
If you often feel tense or restless before bed, you’re not alone. An overstimulated nervous system is one of the most common—and most overlooked—reasons people struggle to fall asleep. The good news? You don’t need supplements, sedatives, or long routines. Just a few minutes of controlled breathing can guide your body into a calmer, sleep-ready […]
Cortisol Spikes and Midnight Awakenings
You’re asleep—and then suddenly, wide awake at 2 or 3 AM with your heart racing or mind spinning. What gives? While it’s easy to blame stress or an active brain, the true culprit might be cortisol, the body’s main stress hormone. These cortisol spikes, especially during the middle of the night, are more common than […]
When Snoring in Kids Warrants an Apnea Test
Snoring is often brushed off as harmless—even cute—in children. But when that nighttime noise becomes chronic, loud, or accompanied by gasping or restless sleep, it may signal a deeper issue: pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Unlike adults, whose apnea is often linked to lifestyle or weight, children’s airway obstructions can be tied to anatomy, development, […]
Can Treating Apnea Lower A1C Levels?
You might not expect your breathing patterns at night to affect your blood sugar. But for many people with Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes, undiagnosed or untreated sleep apnea could be interfering with their ability to reach stable A1C levels. Let’s break down how these two conditions intersect—and whether treating your sleep-disordered breathing could support […]
Screen Time vs. Bedtime: Impact on Young Airways
Between online classes, video games, and streaming, children today are glued to screens more than ever. While tech has its benefits, too much screen time before bed may come at a serious cost—especially for your child’s airway health and sleep quality. From increasing inflammation to worsening breathing patterns during sleep, this modern bedtime habit may […]
Poor Sleep, Poor Glucose Control: A Two-Way Street
If you’ve ever felt groggy after a restless night and reached for something sugary in the morning, you’re not alone. What many don’t realize is that this cycle of poor sleep and unstable blood sugar isn’t just a fluke—it’s a feedback loop. Mounting research shows that sleep and glucose control are deeply connected, and disruptions […]
How Sleep Debt Sabotages Morning Workouts
Struggling through a 6 a.m. workout after just a few hours of sleep? You’re not alone. Skipping out on sleep might seem like a tradeoff for productivity, but it directly undermines what you’re trying to achieve during those early training sessions. Whether you’re lifting weights, running miles, or just trying to stay active, sleep debt […]
Night Time Heart Rate Variability: A New Risk Marker
Most people know their heart rate should slow down during sleep. But there’s another important number that often goes unnoticed—heart rate variability (HRV). This subtle but powerful metric is becoming a key marker for hidden sleep issues, including obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and autonomic dysfunction. In this post, we break down what HRV means, why […]
Blood Pressure Surges During Apnea Events Explained
If you’ve been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), you’ve likely heard that it can raise your blood pressure. But how exactly does that happen—especially when you’re fast asleep? The truth is, each apnea event sends your blood pressure soaring, often without you realizing it. These nighttime spikes, repeated over and over, can place a […]