Your Lifestyle Is Your Medicine Episode 51: Dr. Dylan Petkus

PODCAST INFORMATION

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Dr. Dylan Petkus shares his revolutionary approach to overcoming sleep apnea naturally through breathing pattern correction, myofunctional exercises, and lifestyle changes. He explains how his personal struggle with sleep apnea led him to develop a science-backed method that addresses the root causes rather than relying on CPAP machines or surgery.

  • Sleep apnea affects approximately 10% of the population and can reduce lifespan by 10-25 years
  • Contrary to common belief, sleep apnea affects many people who aren’t overweight
  • Only 30% of people prescribed CPAP machines continue using them long-term
  • Sleep apnea often begins with hyperventilation, which creates negative pressure that collapses the airway
  • Simple breathing exercises focusing on slow exhalation can significantly improve sleep quality
  • The “relaxed pause” breath-holding test can help identify and track improvement in sleep apnea
  • Myofunctional exercises (tongue and oral muscle training) comprise about 20% of the solution
  • Improving mitochondrial health through nutrition and lifestyle accounts for the remaining 40%
  • Mouth taping addresses a symptom rather than the root cause of breathing dysfunction
  • Free resources for sleep apnea sufferers are available at apneareset.com

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What if the very way you breathe at night is silently suffocating you, stealing years from your life while you sleep?

💡 ONE-SENTENCE TAKEAWAY

Sleep apnea is a condition where you repeatedly stop breathing during sleep, and it can be addressed through natural breathing exercises and lifestyle changes that target the root cause rather than just managing symptoms.

📖 SUMMARY

Dr. Dylan Petkus, a medical doctor and sleep apnea researcher, shares his personal journey with sleep apnea and his discovery of natural solutions beyond CPAP machines. The episode explores how sleep apnea affects millions, often without their knowledge, and can reduce lifespan by 10-25 years. Dr. Petkus explains that sleep apnea isn’t just about anatomy (narrow airways) but is fundamentally a breathing pattern disorder where people breathe too much, creating negative pressure that collapses the airway.

He describes his own experience with moderate sleep apnea despite being fit and not overweight, challenging common stereotypes about who gets this condition. After rejecting the CPAP machine (which he describes as “a plastic leaf blower strapped to your face”), he researched the underlying mechanisms and discovered that slow breathing exercises could significantly improve his condition.

The conversation covers the STOP-Bang questionnaire for assessing sleep apnea risk, the “relaxed pause” breath-hold test for measuring CO2 tolerance, and a comprehensive approach that includes breathing exercises, myofunctional therapy (tongue and throat exercises), and mitochondrial health through nutrition and lifestyle changes. Dr. Petkus explains that while mouth taping has become popular, it only addresses a symptom rather than the root cause of disordered breathing.

The episode provides practical, actionable steps people can take immediately, with Dr. Petkus directing listeners to his free guide at apnearreset.com for detailed instructions on exercises and lifestyle modifications.

🔍 INSIGHTS

Core Insights

  • Sleep apnea affects approximately 10% of the population, yet 70% of people prescribed CPAP machines don’t use them regularly
  • The fundamental mechanism of sleep apnea is a breathing pattern disorder: people breathe too much, creating negative pressure that collapses the airway
  • CO2 sensitivity is a key factor in sleep apnea; improving your body’s response to CO2 can significantly reduce symptoms
  • Sleep apnea isn’t just about anatomy; about 60% of people have anatomical features that could predispose them to sleep apnea, but only 10% develop the condition
  • The “relaxed pause” breath-hold test is a sensitive measure for tracking progress; getting to 30 seconds typically resolves 75% of symptoms, while 45 seconds resolves 95%

How This Connects to Broader Trends/Topics

  • Sleep apnea represents a gateway condition that increases risks for diabetes, strokes, heart attacks, and even hospitalization from common illnesses like the flu
  • The approach reflects a broader shift toward addressing root causes rather than symptoms in medicine
  • The conversation touches on the limitations of conventional medicine’s “brute force” approaches versus more nuanced, personalized solutions
  • Connects to growing interest in breathing techniques (like Wim Hof) but with a more targeted, therapeutic application

🛠️ FRAMEWORKS & MODELS

STOP-Bang Questionnaire

A screening tool for sleep apnea risk assessment with eight yes/no questions:

  1. Do you snore loudly?
  2. Do you often feel tired, fatigued, or sleepy during daytime?
  3. Has anyone observed you stop breathing during sleep?
  4. Do you have or are you being treated for high blood pressure?
  5. Is your BMI greater than 35?
  6. Are you over 50 years old?
  7. Is your neck circumference greater than 40 cm (about 16 inches)?
  8. Are you male?

A score of 3 or more indicates moderate risk, while 5 or more indicates high risk with a 90% chance of sleep apnea diagnosis.

The Relaxed Pause Test

A breath-hold test to measure CO2 tolerance:

  1. Take a normal inhale through the nose
  2. Exhale normally through the nose
  3. Hold your breath after exhale
  4. Start breathing again at the first sign of air hunger (not when desperate)
  5. Time how long you can comfortably hold

People with sleep apnea typically score under 15 seconds. Progress to 30 seconds usually resolves 75% of symptoms, while 45 seconds resolves 95%.

Three-Pronged Approach to Sleep Apnea

  1. Breathing exercises (40% of solution): Slow breathing with longer exhales to improve CO2 tolerance
  2. Myofunctional therapy (20% of solution): Tongue and throat exercises to strengthen airway muscles
  3. Mitochondrial health (40% of solution): Nutrition, circadian rhythm, and lifestyle factors that improve CO2 production

💬 QUOTES

  1. “Sleep apnea, you stop breathing multiple times per night, essentially effectively suffocating your body at a time when you should be resting and it prevents you from resting. Your body can’t restore itself and then you have a lot of damage to your cardiovascular system, your brain um and just makes your your days miserable because instead of not resting, you’re causing damage. So, it’s like almost like a double whammy.”

  • Dr. Dylan Petkus (opening of the podcast, setting the tone for the seriousness of the condition)

  1. “People with sleep apnea, they’ll breathe more and more and more and more and then they’ll stop breathing. And they’ll breathe faster as a result. Afterwards, they’ll breathe more and more and more, stop breathing. And it’s this like cycle of hyper breathing, stop breathing, hyper breathing, stop breathing, etc.”

  • Dr. Dylan Petkus (explaining the fundamental mechanism of sleep apnea as a breathing pattern disorder)

  1. “Imagine if you have like a plastic leaf blower uh strapped to your face. Um well, that’s that’s how you feel about if you don’t like it. Some people love it. That’s cool. That’s great. That’s like the 30 to 40% of people who love it. Uh the other majority uh do not and would resonate with a leaf blower on your face.”

  • Dr. Dylan Petkus (humorous but accurate description of CPAP machines)

  1. “So if you have a strong inhale, yeah, it’s going to pull muscles back. It’s going to pull floppy muscles back even more. So, if those are stronger in a better posture or position, then you’re good.”

  • Dr. Dylan Petkus (explaining how airway muscle strength impacts sleep apnea)

  1. “I have a dog and I have three actually. And when I take their tails and I wag them, it doesn’t actually make them happy. So, the reason I bring this up is because that’s how mouth tape is. Your mouth opening at night is another consequence of poor breathing patterns. You don’t breathe poorly because your mouth is open. Your mouth is open because you breathe poorly.”

  • Dr. Dylan Petkus (using an analogy to explain why mouth taping addresses symptoms rather than root causes)

⚡ APPLICATIONS & HABITS

Breathing Exercises

  • Practice slow breathing with half inhales and extended exhales before sleep
  • Focus on making exhales longer than inhales to improve CO2 tolerance
  • Perform breathing exercises for 10 minutes daily
  • Track progress using the “relaxed pause” test

Myofunctional Therapy

  • Perform tongue and throat exercises to strengthen airway muscles
  • Practice proper tongue posture (tongue resting on roof of mouth)
  • Incorporate specific exercises from Dr. Petkus’s free guide

Lifestyle Modifications

  • Address mitochondrial health through proper nutrition
  • Maintain healthy circadian rhythms (consistent sleep schedule, morning light exposure)
  • Manage stress levels that impact breathing patterns
  • Consider nutritional factors that support mitochondrial function

Tracking Progress

  • Use the “relaxed pause” test to measure CO2 tolerance improvements
  • Monitor symptoms like daytime fatigue, snoring, and nighttime awakenings
  • Consider using overnight pulse oximetry to track oxygen levels

📚 REFERENCES

  • 1953 study on artificially induced sleep apnea through hyperventilation in college students
  • Mid-2000s research on tidal volume differences between people with and without sleep apnea
  • American Academy of Sleep Medicine criteria (5+ events per hour)
  • CMS criteria (15+ events per hour)
  • Research on myofunctional therapy effectiveness for sleep apnea
  • Studies on mouth taping showing limited effectiveness (4-point reduction in sleep apnea severity)

⚠️ QUALITY & TRUSTWORTHINESS NOTES

  • Accuracy Check: Information aligns with established medical understanding of sleep apnea mechanisms
  • Bias Assessment: Dr. Petkus is clearly advocating for his approach but acknowledges conventional medicine has its place
  • Source Credibility: References specific research studies and provides physiological explanations
  • Transparency: Clear about his personal experience and financial interests (website, coaching programs)
  • Potential Harm: No harmful advice provided; encourages consultation with medical professionals

The content presents a balanced view of sleep apnea treatment options while advocating for natural approaches. Dr. Petkus’s medical background and personal experience with the condition add credibility to his recommendations. The information is consistent with established understanding of sleep apnea physiology while offering alternative approaches to conventional treatment.

Crepi il lupo! 🐺