Exploring Exercise Interventions for Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Scoping Review

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most prevalent sleep disorder caused by breathing difficulties, characterized by repeated episodes of airway blockage while sleeping. Various interventions have been used to improve the symptoms and overall health of individuals with OSA. However, few studies have focused on the impact of exercise on OSA. Objectives: The objective of this review was to evaluate the impact of exercise on individuals with OSA, providing an update on the exercise management of OSA. Methods: This review examined the current literature, including experimental studies and systematic reviews with meta-analysis, that investigated the impact of exercise (oropharyngeal exercises, respiratory muscle training, and therapeutic exercise training) in OSA patients. Studies were identified by searching databases (PubMed, CHINAL, EBSCO) using the following keywords: obstructive sleep apnea, OSA, exercise, oropharyngeal exercises, respiratory muscle training. Inclusion criteria were based on the PICO framework. Results: Forty-three studies were included in this review following the original search, all of which investigated the effects of exercise interventions in OSA. Most of the studies observed various significant health-related improvements following exercise interventions; however, none of them combined or compared all these exercise regimes together. In addition, there is limited information regarding the impact of exercise on sleep architecture. Conclusions: Overall, the findings suggest that exercise, regardless of its regime, benefits individuals with OSA.