• Bhajan Singh, Azadeh Yadollahi, Owen Lyons, Hisham Alshaer, and T Douglas Bradley.
• Sleep Research Laboratory, University Health Network, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, 550 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 2A2, Canada; Department of Pulmonary Physiology & Sleep Medicine, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Hospital Avenue, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia; Faculty of Science, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia; West Australian Sleep Disorders Research Institute, QEII Medical Centre, Hospital Avenue, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia. Electronic address: bhajan.singh@health.wa.gov.au.
• Respir Physiol Neurobiol. 2017 Jun 1; 240: 1-7.

AbstractProlonged sitting may promote leg fluid retention that redistributes to the neck during sleep and contributes to snoring. This could be attenuated by calf activity while sitting. In 16 healthy non-obese subjects we measured leg fluid volume (LFV) below the knees using bioelectrical impedance while sitting for 4h, snoring using a portable BresoDx™ device, and Mallampati grade. Using a double cross-over study design, subjects were randomized to one of two arms and crossed-over one week later: control arm - no calf exercise while sitting; intervention arm - calf contraction against a pedal resistance while sitting. The effects of sitting±calf activity on LFV and snoring were compared. We found that LFV increased by 216±101.0ml (p<0.0001) after sitting. Calf activity while sitting attenuated LFV by 53.8ml (p<0.0001) and, in all five subjects with severe upper airway narrowing (Mallampati grade IV), reduced snoring duration (from 357±132.9 to 116.2±72.1s/h, p=0.02) suggesting reduced overnight rostral fluid shift to the neck.Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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