How to Stop Heavy Breathing While Sleeping

Heavy breathing while sleeping can be a major sign of a sleeping condition like sleep apnea. It’s not a simple matter and can lead to complicated sleeping condition which is why we must treat it.

So, how to stop heavy breathing while sleeping? Check these helpful tips below

1. Nasal Strips
   • Nasal strips are one of the earliest tools used to treat conditions like sleep apnea and its symptoms such as heavy breathing or snoring.
     
     Nowadays, there are newly developed nasal strips that you can try.
     
     These can relieve your breathing as it will keep your airways open as you use it during sleep.
2. Oral Appliance
   • Oral pieces can help with sleep apnea and heavy breathing.
     
     They are custom made to make sure it prevents the obstruction in the airways and counter sleep apnea and heavy breathing or snoring.
3. CPAP Treatment
   • The CPAP or “Continuous Positive Airway Pressure” is a commonly used treatment and proven to be effective for sleep apnea patients and stops heavy breathing.
     
     We breathe heavily because we are having a hard time breathing or getting the air we need which the CPAP can provide.
4. Avoid sedatives before going to sleep
   • Certain sedatives can cause heavy breathing during sleep. Consult a medical expert to determine what type of sedative may be the cause.
5. Treat chronic allergies
   • Some allergies can trigger obstruction in your body’s airways and may cause you to have sleep apnea and cause you to start heavy breathing.
     
     Treat or avoid triggering your allergies to avoid heavy breathing or snoring.
6. Try to avoid overworking yourself.
   • Sometimes, simply going to sleep while totally exhausted can make our muscles relax too much to the point that it can lead to heavy breathing and snoring.
7. Avoid drinking liquor before bed.
   • Excessive liquor can also relax the muscles that will lead to snoring. Limit alcohol consumption or avoid drinking too much before going to sleep.
8. Sleep with your head elevated.
   • When the head is not properly elevated, the tongue can fall back and block the air passage, causing the tissues to vibrate and snore or also cause you to breathe heavily.
     
     You can also use an anti-snore pillow which will keep your head in proper place that can prevent you from heavy breathing or snoring.
     
     Sleeping in a chair or a recliner chair is also an option.
9. Try to sleep on your sides.
   • Sleeping flat on our backs can cause the tongue to fall back and block the airways. It can also make the muscles relax and cause heavy breathing or snoring.
     
     You can read about: “How to prevent sleeping on my back” to learn how you can keep sleeping on your sides.
10. Get plenty of exercises.
    • Lack of physical activity can cause our body’s functionality to drop. This means that we need the right amount of exercise to keep our body “awake” and functioning even as we sleep.
      
      This is important so we can stop heavy breathing or snoring.
11. Stop or limit smoking.
    • If your body inhales the smoke, it can cause the muscles inside to swell or become irritated, potentially blocking the airways and causing you to breathe heavily during sleep or snore.
      
      Those who are also exposed to secondhand smoke can be prone to heavy breathing, so avoid getting near smoke as much as possible.
12. Drink enough water.
    • When we are dehydrated, the throat becomes dry which makes the vibrating tissues sound louder and produces snoring or heavy breathing.
      
      Stay hydrated to prevent heavy breathing!
13. Eat a healthy diet.
    • Our diet plays a huge part in our health! You should also avoid eating heavy before sleeping, if you go to sleep on a full stomach, your muscles may not work as it should.
      
      Focus on eating healthy foods!
14. Sleep on time.
    • Not getting the right amount of sleep and not sleeping early can cause the body to become dysfunctional and trigger heavy breathing.
      
      Avoid depriving yourself with sleep and you can stop breathing heavily.
15. Lose weight.
    • Being overweight or obesity will cause difficulty in breathing. The excess fat will get in the way of the air passages, causing tissues to vibrate and cause heavy breathing or snoring.

As you can see, most of the these methods that can stop heavy breathing involve basic lifestyle changes. If your heavy breathing does not stop, there must be a deeper reason why you do, read on to learn more what can cause it.

What causes heavy breathing while sleeping

What exactly can cause heavy breathing while we sleep? Well, there are different possible answers but here are the most common reasons why.

1. Obstructive sleep apnea
   • When you have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), you will have a hard time breathing during sleep which can definitely lead to heavy breathing or snoring.
2. Colds or sinus problems
   • Having a cold or any sinus problem means there is an obstruction in your nasal airway, meaning you can’t breathe properly through your nose, causing heavy breathing at times.
3. Allergies
   • Some allergies can trigger difficulty in breathing which leads to heavy breathing. This can happen even during sleep.
4. Respiratory infections
   • Lung infections such as pneumonia can cause heavy breathing since the lung is where the airway passage is. When the lungs are suffering, it can’t help the body to breathe normally.
5. Lack of physical activity
   • If you don’t exercise regularly, there’s a high chance that your body can easily be worn out. This causes your body to relax even more during sleep and lead to heavy breathing.
6. Anxiety
   • Anxiety attacks and its symptoms such as heavy breathing can still continue even during sleep.
7. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
   • COPD are diseases attacking the lungs, which is similar to respiratory infections. It is usually related to smoking issues.
8. Lung cancer
   • Lung problems such as lung cancer will cause difficult breathing no matter what and lead to heavy breathing which is why it is a symptom that must not be taken lightly.
9. Being overweight
   • Body fat can get in the way of the body’s ability to stretch its airways open making it harder to breathe which will cause heavy breathing.
10. Airway obstruction
    • Anything that can obstruct the airways will make breathing difficult and cause the tissues to vibrate and cause heavy breathing or snoring.
11. Sleeping position
    • Sleeping on your back may cause the tongue to fall back and the muscles to relax which can block the airways.
12. Drinking liquor
    • Drinking excessive liquor especially before going to sleep will relax the muscles and create difficulty in breathing.
13. Smoking cigarettes
    • If your body inhales the smoke, it can cause the muscles inside to swell or become irritated, potentially blocking the airways and causing you to breathe heavily.
      
      Those who are also exposed to secondhand smoke can be prone to heavy breathing, so avoid getting near smoke as much as possible.
14. Taking medications
    • Certain medications or sedation can make the body relax as well, leading to heavy breathing or snoring.
15. Sleeping exhausted
    • Sometimes, going to bed overworked or completely exhausted can cause heavy breathing since the body is too tired to help your breathing stay normal.
16. Anatomical build
    • Your physical attributes can obstruct your airways and some of this can be hereditary.
17. Age
    • As we age, our throat will become narrower which is beyond our control.
      
      However, proper sleep routine and a healthy, balanced diet can prevent heavy breathing, snoring or sleep apnea.

Why you should stop heavy breathing while sleeping

There are many reasons why you should stop heavy breathing any way you can. Once again, heavy breathing can be a sign of major sleeping conditions like sleep apnea which can lead to the following…

1. Heart failure
   • May lead to fatal conditions such as brain damages or even death
2. Heart attack
   • Can also be severely life-threatening
3. Irregular heartbeat
   • Worsens the ability to breathe
   • Can trigger anxiety
   • Can lead to other heart diseases
4. Stroke
   • Can leave permanent damage
   • May lead to paralysis
   • Can cause death
5. Depression
   • Not an easy condition to treat
   • Can lead to self-harming
6. Weight gain or loss
   • Sleep apnea can cause uncontrolled weight gain or weight loss that can lead to complicated health conditions
7. Diabetes
   • Leaves you prone to more heart attacks
8. High Blood Pressure
   • Aside from your physical health, this can also affect your mental health and relationship with people around you including your work
   • Can lead to other life-threatening conditions
9. Increases ADHD
   • Sleep apnea reduces your ability to focus which is what happens when you have ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)
   • Having a lack of control to focus can lead to frustration and risk of other danger
10. Headaches
    • You may wake up with a bad headache which will lead to other problems listed here
    • Can lead to brain problems
11. Lack of daily energy
    • As mentioned, your energy will be reduced since you are unable to sleep well. This can lead to risky conditions that may put someone in danger
12. Seizures
    • Sleep apnea patients are more prone to seizures during sleep compared to epilepsy patients without sleep apnea.

What worsens heavy breathing while sleeping

Now that you already have an idea about what can cause heavy breathing, it will be easier for you to determine how to stop it. Now, let me tell you about what worsens it.

1. Hypothyroidism
   • The condition wherein your body does not produce enough thyroid hormones, which is needed to control how to use energy received from food through metabolism.
     
     Bad metabolism can affect heartbeat and breathing.
2. Acromegaly
   • Opposite of hypothyroidism, acromegaly produces too much growth hormones which can affect your overall health including breathing.
3. Obesity
   • Can make breathing difficult even while asleep or not moving, resulting in heavy breathing.
4. Allergies
   • There are certain allergies that can worsen sleep apnea or heavy breathing. Allergies that result with difficulty in breathing are the likes, for example, asthma.
5. Smoking cigarettes
   • Excessive smoking can damage your body which may make it harder to function or relax properly, increasing the risk of heavy breathing and sleep apnea.
6. Drinking liquor
   • Too much liquor and drinking before going to sleep can cause heavy breathing, sleep apnea and snoring.
7. Drug usage
   • Sedation or other types of drugs especially when being abused can result in heavy breathing and sleep apnea.
8. Being male
   • Observations reveal that males tend to breathe heavily, have sleep apnea and snore more than females
     
     Though this factor cannot be avoided, knowing about it will help you understand the reason.
9. Being old
   • Observations also revealed that older adults are more prone to heavy breathing and sleep apnea than younger ones due to more complicated health issues that may trigger loud breathing.

Related Questions

Is it normal to breathe fast while sleeping?

Yes, breathing fast while sleeping can be normal. However, if it occurs too often or it is constant and accompanied with loud breathing sound or snoring, it can be a sign of a medical condition that must be treated.

The average person takes between 12 to 20 breaths per minute. You may occasionally hyperventilate during sleep but if you suspect that your breathing is not normal, you should see your doctor immediately.

Why is my baby breathing so fast while sleeping?

It is normal for babies or newborns to breathe fast while sleeping because they usually have an irregular breathing pattern which can be either fast or slow and sometimes even cause pauses in breathing.

This is normal since their bodies are not fully developed yet to properly handle their breathing functionality, but the baby can outgrow it.