Rehabilitation Program as an Alternative Therapy for Moderate to Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome

"Individualized exercise training (IET):~Duration : 24 sessions during 4 weeks~IET session (2h) contains:~* 15' start warming up muscles~* 30' muscle strengthening exercise for arms and abdominal muscles~* 45' individualized cycle ergometer endurance training to the ventilatory threshold heart rate measured on the cardiopulmonary exercise test.~* 15' stretching~* 15' postural, movement and balance exercises IET session was controlled by a professional instructor using heart rate monitoring. Duration, intensity and attendance were recorded in a logbook.~Educational activities (20h): the 8 themes are comparable to comparator arm. Dietary management: was performed by dietician to ensure that energy intakes are adjusted to energy expenditure. No restrictive diet was prescribe."

"Educational activities alone contains 10 sessions lasting 1:00 with 8 themes :~* Physiological mechanisms of apneas/hypopneas~* Effects of apneas/hypopneas on health (vascular morbidity/mortality and sleepiness)~* Beneficials effects of CPAP and/or advanced mandibular orthosis~* Description of sleep stages and physiological roles of sleep~* Known effects of exercise on sleep and metabolism~* Importance of good nutritional status and sleep hygiene on quality of life~* How to apply theses lessons of rehabilitation in daily life"