Cheese is among the most loved foods across the world, as it is versatile, delicious, and loaded with health. According to a new study, those at risk of sleep apnea—a potentially dangerous sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts—can be lowered by eating cheese.

Sleep apnea affects over a billion people across the world, causing deaths due to repetitive stoppages of breathing throughout the night. Since sleep apnea is a pro-inflammatory situation, it disrupts sleep, heightens blood pressure levels, increases heart and over time can cause heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, and even obesity.

Research published in the journal Sleep Medicine says since obesity worsens sleep apnea, high-calorie, high-fat foods like cheese reduce the risk of the condition.

To examine the relationship between cheese consumption and sleep apnea risk, researchers analysed data on 400,000 people enrolled in two large research databases: the UK Biobank in Britain and the FinnGen Biobank in Finland. Using the process of Mendelian randomisation, which uses genetic information to mimic a natural experiment, experts narrowed down on the cause-and-effect relationships.

According to the research, those who ate cheese had a 28 per cent lower risk of sleep apnea.

The team also examined 44 different biomarkers that were linked with the condition and concluded that cheese could directly impact six of them: aspartate aminotransferase, urea, cystatin C, sex hormone-binding globulin, testosterone, and diastolic blood pressure. “This study highlights the complex connections between diet, biomarkers, and sleep apnea,” the authors wrote.

However, since what type of cheese works wonders is not specified, it is not clear whether cheddar, Swiss, or any other type of melty goodness might benefit sleep apnea.

According to experts, cheese intake is associated with a lower incidence of high blood pressure, a known risk factor for interrupted nighttime breathing. It also lowers testosterone—another potential preventative for sleep apnea.

Loaded with protein, calcium, fatty acids, and vitamins, cheese supports overall health; however, it has to be eaten in moderation, with around one to three servings of hard cheese being the best.

Other than eating cheese, you can also include a few other strategies to reduce sleep apnea:

Maintaining a good lifestyle, which includes maintaining a healthy weight through a healthy diet and regular exercise, you must eat whole grains, fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy products, and foods that are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids. Make sure to avoid foods that cause acid reflux, an important factor that leads to sleep apnea.

Avoid drinking alcohol, sedatives, and smoking, which narrows airways due to inflammation and leads to nasal congestion.

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