Recently we've seen in this forum a lot about AF triggers and I was wondering if anyone does tongue exercises for prevention of it starting whilst asleep.
If so, what exercise regime do you practice and how successful have they been?
Many thanks in advance
Alan
I don't know this exersize. Can you enlighten?
Thsnks
Hi Elaine
I've answered below for CDreamer. It's all to do with prevention or control of sleep apnea.
I have a small incidence of AF coming on during sleep, although I don't believe I have apnea, but occasionly sleep deeply. If the exercises do actually help apnea, I'm prepared to take up the practice along with my breathing exercise regime.
Alan
Not heard of tongue exercises but I am guessing it is the same as improving vagal tone which includes things such as chewing gum, gargling and humming or chanting.
Tongue exercises are said to reduce sleep apnea by strengthening the throat area. Allegedly the reduction is in excess of 50%.
I raised the subject as Apnea I believe is a known cause of AF. So maybe some sufferers are also afflicted with AF and found the exercises improve both medical conditions.
What do you reckon?
Alan
I have sleep apnea for which I use a CPAP, one of the first referrals I had from my current EP.
There was a study at Exeter University a few years ago looking at singing and humming to reduce sleep apnea but unfortunately I didn’t qualify because of co-morbidities.
I was under the impression that it was the soft palette which colapsed not quite sure how or why tongue exercises could or would help. Have you reference links?
Regarding apnea, recently on our TV in NZ there was a Brazilian Professor who'd done trials on tongue exercises. The results were a 59% reduction which I think is quite amazing considering how simple they are to do. One woman claimed that operations weren't successful but the exercises were.
The tongue exercises, humming and the like work the soft pallet. I think it probably firms it up to become a 'younger model', more shapely and less flabby. If that's the case, it could be less of a restriction in the throat. It then follows that easier breathing places less effort on the heart which could translate into less AF.
I know my yoga breathing exercises have increased my blood oxygen from 93% (which is rather low) to 96% average and sometimes I'm now getting 98%. I'm Paroxysmal AF and when I have an episode the developing trend is they are less severe and don't last as long, but I don't know whether that's going to be maintained as I've not been doing the breathing exercises that long.
Now I'm trying to pick off my main triggers as preventive measures and the sleeping one was difficult to have any influence about. I know there's reports of laying on the left or right sides but they don't seem to be my trigger.
Alan
Very sensible, I did similar. I use a power breather on recommendation of my neuro physiotherapistl.
I have had 2 ablations, they did work and although my AF has returned is not nearly as severe and is definately vagal. I had mixed AF so although vagal induced AF responds well to identifying and avoiding triggers, it didn’t help non vagal AF one bit whereas the ablations did.
We are all so different but I found treating the sleep apnea, daily practice of Mindfulness & Meditation, avoiding triggers (big one for me is moving immediately after eating) and avoiding starchy foods means I have not had any episodes for a months.
Good luck.
I can appreciate just what you're saying. I think we're on the same wavelength.
Good luck to you as well
A
PS: A month without an AF. Many congrats.
I've only achieved that once in 3 years I think it is. My current average is 11 days but seem to be improving with breathing exercises and avoiding digestion triggers.
A
What are the digestion triggers you are talking about Izzie?
Hi Jessie.
I can go into AF during or after a meal (say within half an hour). At one time I thought it was stodgy food but I now know it can be almost anything. Eating too quickly or too much, not fully chewing my food, hiccups and this weekend I swallowed some water and it went down the wrong way (30 hours of AF resulted).
I therefore tend to eat lighter foods, not too large a meal, eat regularly and have a little break before another course.
I'm now thinking I have a very sensitive vagus nerve, somewhere near my esophagus, but how true that is I'm not sure. I've had reflux for many years.
Funnily enough, eating can also revert me into sinus rhythm. Stupid aye.
Alan
I should also add that yoga breathing exercises are making a difference to life with digestion and AF. My AF episodes are far less severe and tending to be a little shorter duration. My blood oxygen levels have significantly improved as well. Digestion is easier.
I think breathing properly helps relax the body and mind. I do 5 minute sessions, 4 times daily, with various types of slow breaths. I have sometimes done these exercises whilst sat on the toilet. I was initially amazed how much extra bodily fluids I was able to shift by fully relaxing. Hope I''m not being too personal here. Apologies if I've offended.
I didn't even know that was a thing! Other half is going to wonder why I've started humming all the time I am sure...
Lis
Humming is a only part of it but has the double benefit of massaging the vagas nerve or so I'm told.
The tongue exercises are meant to condition the area at the back of the mouth (that can close off the air supply if you have sleep apnea). My thought regarding AF was that if you breath easier you reduce this possible trigger.
I'm satisfied that my AF has improved by doing yoga breathing exercises but this could be wasted when asleep if I have breathing issues at that time. I might be thinking out of the square, hence why I'm asking other forum members if they've got any related apnea experience ie tongue waggling.
Alan
How amazing. I've always hummed constantly if doing tasks. Drives my husband mad.
So what's your favourite tune and does it influence your AF?
Do you go into AF during sleep? If not it just may be possible that humming is a preventative action.
Alan
The episodes I've had have always been at night either when just dozing off or one woke me up. My humming is a self soothing habit I've been told so sometimes it is tuneless, or hymns from Sunday school or a bit of classical or a pop song I've heard earlier. Thing is I'm totally unaware I'm doing it so often don't know what tune till I stop!!!
How interesting. I hope I'm not reading too much into your comments, but as you're NOT getting AF when in deeper sleep might be relevant.
Also, the fact that you modulate your humming could be relevant. It's part of the technique for conditioning the mouth/throat. Well done you. Glad you don't continually hum the national anthem, that might be too much....only joking.
I appreciate your input. It won't work for everyone but I think I might try the tongue exercises for 6 months to see if they're helpful to my AF trigger.
Alan
So what are the exercises? I’d like to try. Thanks
I've seen several different ones on YouTube and type in 'apnea tongue exercises' and see where it takes you.
There was one foreign guy who had 4 exercises which seemed pretty simple. Examples are pressing the tongue into lower teeth or upwards onto roof of mouth with a massage action, but look at some videos as I've not really explored many possibilities yet.
I wanted to know if it's possible to improve my AF and thought others here might be doing it already.
Alan
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