Sleep Apnea Remedies

Here is a list of sleep apnea remedies and solutions and home treatment for sleep apnea. What is sleep apnea? What are the symptoms of sleep apnea? What are sleep apnea causes? And what are the effects of sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea is a disorder in which you go through an episode of shallow breathing or experience one or more pauses in breathing during sleep. It can happen between 5 to 30 times in an hour and may last from a few seconds to several minutes. There are three types of sleep apnea. One of them is obstructive sleep apnea or OSA, the other is central sleep apnea and the third is complex sleep apnea which is a combination of obstructive and central sleep apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common among sufferers and it is characterized by loud snoring followed by periodic pauses in breathing Normal breathing will resume, sometimes accompanied by a loud grunt or chocking sound. It is caused when the airway collapse partially or completely and block the flow of oxygen and air from the nose and mouth from entering the windpipe.

Central sleep apnea isn't caused by a blocked airway but it is due to the failure of the brain to signal the respiratory muscles to breathe. One of the symptoms of central sleep apnea is a sudden awakening from sleep which is accompanied by a shortness of breath.

You may not know that you suffer from sleep apnea unless your sleeping partner notices and informed you about your loud snoring and sleep disordered breathing or if you are aware of sleep apnea symptoms.

Among the symptoms of sleep apnea are excessive amounts of sleepiness in the day or known as hypersomnia, fatigue and irritability. Other sleep apnea symptoms include insomnia, waking up with dry mouth or sore throat and having a headache in the morning upon waking up. Some of the effects of sleep apnea if left untreated include increasing the risk of diabetes, heart attack, high blood pressure, heart failure, stroke, work related or driving accidents, low productivity and poor health.

Sleep apnea remedies No. 1 - Do a sleep apnea check

If you want to be certain that you are having sleep apnea syndrome, you can do a sleep apnea home test using a disposable sensor. This sensor is able to monitor your respiration throughout the night and detect and count each apnea if and when it happens. There is a computerized score that tells you the seriousness of your apnea and helps you determine if you are suffering from obstructive, central or complex sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea remedies No. 2 - Adjust your sleeping position

One of the ways to prevent your airway from collapsing and cause sleep apnea is to sleep on your side or abdomen instead of sleeping on your back. When you sleep on your back, your tongue and soft palate will tend to rest against the back of your throat and block your airway.

If you have the habit of sleeping on your back, you may need to find a way such as placing something hard in the middle of your back to make it uncomfortable for you to sleep in this position. Or you can purchase a sleeping position device that will prevent you from supine or back sleeping.

Sleep apnea remedies No. 3 - Keep a regular sleep schedule

Make it a habit to sleep and wake up at the same time each day. And ensure that you get at least 8 hours of sleep. Try not to get physically and mentally exhausted and stressful because it can cause you to experience insomnia or sleep disturbance.

Sleep apnea remedies No. 4 - Lose the excess weight

Being overweighed may cause sleep apnea. According to some theories, excess fat may deposit around your soft palette, tongue and neck structures and constrict the airway. Even if you do not accept this explanation, it's a good idea to lose the extra pounds and maintain a healthy weight to reduce the risk of major health problems.

Sleep apnea remedies No. 5 - Avoid alcohol before bedtime

It is recommended that you avoid drinking alcohol at least 3 hours before bedtime because alcohol can exacerbate snoring and sleep apnea. If you have trouble sleeping, don't take sleeping pills. Both alcohol and sleeping pills will affect the muscles at your throat and also your breathing. There are several natural sleeping aids that can induce sleep such as chamomile, hops, kava herb, lavender, lemon balm, passion flower and valerian root.

Sleep apnea remedies No. 6 - Alternative sleep apnea solutions

Acupuncture, aromatherapy, emotional freedom technique or EFT, self-hypnosis, relaxation technique and subliminal therapy are some sleep apnea solutions that are worth trying.

Sleep apnea remedies No. 7 - Use sleep apnea aids

There are quite a number of sleep apnea aids such as a snore pin, nasal dilator and tube, continuous positive airway pressure or CPAP devices and sleep apnea pillow. They are supposed to help keep your nasal passages open so that it is easier for you to breathe while you sleep.

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