14 Natural Home Remedies to Treat Sleep Apnea

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14 Natural Home Remedies to Treat Sleep Apnea

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Are you tired of hearing criticism from your family members, regarding your loud snoring? Is your sleep also often disturbed during the night due to uneven breathing? If yes, then you are at the right place to prevent the quality of your life from disrupting. For some unknown reasons your health, productivity and relations may be at risk. Over the years, you may have developed a disease that you don’t even know about.

What is Sleep Apnea?

Apnea is a Greek word that means “without breath.” Therefore, sleep apnea means not breathing while sleeping.

Sleep Apnea is a sleep disorder in which you have one or more brief pauses in breathing while you’re asleep. According to National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, breathing pauses can last from a few seconds to minutes. In fact, they may occur 30 times or more in an hour. At frequent times, natural breathing begins again after that, sometimes with a loud snort or a choking sound. (

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)

Furthermore, you breathe through airways, which are pipes that carry oxygen-rich air to your lungs. The airways include your nose, mouth, and nasal cavities. It is these airway tracks that narrow-down or constricts if you suffer from this disorder. (2)

Your brain recognizes this impaired breathing, and for a short time, wakes you up from the sleep so that your airway can be reopened. And this awakening is generally so brief that you don’t even notice the disruption in your sleep. (

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As a result, this condition often goes undiagnosed and untreated. Even your blood test reports fail to show this chronic illness. Only your family members or bed partner can let you know if you are suffering from it, by noticing your loud snoring. You, too, may have observed some of the symptoms but they either don’t bother you much, or you are unknowingly avoiding them for a long time.

Symptoms of Sleep Apnea:

Surprisingly, men are twice at risk for developing sleep apnea than women. No matter what, this disease is still so indistinctive that anyone can develop the below symptoms irrespective of gender. (

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The individual snores very loudly.

The individual feels his/her mouth is dry or

throat is sore

when upon waking up in the morning followed by a severe headache.

The individual wakes up frequently to urinate.

The individual falls asleep while working, reading, or watching TV.

The individual feels sleepy while driving or falls asleep during the day.

The individual feels sleepy or drowsy throughout the day.

The individual has memory loss.

The individual often is in a bad mood. (

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Research data suggests that oly half of the people suffering from sleep apnea are overweight, which means that people who are skinny are also at a borderline risk to develop it (

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). However, the obese population is still more prone to it in comparison to the averagely-built. It is because the extra fat tissue around the neck makes it tough to keep the airway open.(

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If you are unsure of which category of weight you fall in, calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI) by clicking on the following number. (

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) And then cross-check the following data.

Normal weight:

BMI of 18.5 to 24.9

Overweight:

BMI of 25 to 29.9

Obesity:

BMI of 30 or higher (

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As you get the older, the risk of developin sleep apnea increases. Even at the earlier age, it is possible for children to suffer from sleep apnea.

Sleep Apnea in Children:

Do the teachers of your child often complain about his/her poor performance? In children, sleep apnea can cause hyperactivity, poor school performance, and angry, impatient and irritable behavior. Therefore, it may be the root cause of his/her poor learning abilities, such as having a hard time remembering and recalling knowledge gained in school. (

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Children who suffer from sleep apnea may breathe through their mouths instead of their noses during the day. Some children with OSA (Obstructive Sleep Apnea) complain of pain due to large tonsils and face difficulty in swallowing. (

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) In addition, obesity and genetic diseases like down syndrome may be the major factors for sleep apnea in children. This fact may be neglected by parents. (

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) As a parent, you may often misinterpret excessive tiredness in your kids with their natural need to rest after school hours. Last but not least, delayed growth, heart failure, and cognitive problems are side effects of sleep apnea. (

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Thus, it is of due importance to be aware of the pattern that your children follow daily. Finally, the ever-increasing risks hold children vulnerable to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure. So far, you have come to know about this mysterious disease. Keep reading to know how sleep apnea is treated because leaving it untreated is a mistake in itself. (

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Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA):

This is the main disease, among all, linked with sleeping disorders, in which breathing pauses during sleep. This happens due to narrowed or blocked airways. When you’re awake, throat muscles help keep your airway stiff and open, so air can flow into your lungs. When you sleep, these muscles relax for a number of reasons, which narrows your throat. Basically, this narrow path refrains air from flowing into and out of your lungs. (

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In addition to loud snoring, a drop in your blood oxygen level can occur which further makes you prone to a stroke, heart attack and/or, high blood pressure. That being said, people suffering from it are more likely to have type 2 diabetes, liver problems and, metabolic syndrome. Thus, frequent drops in your blood oxygen level and reduced sleep quality can prompt the release of stress-inducing hormones. Moreover, untreated sleep apnea also can nurture changes in how your body reacts and utilizes the energy. These changes increase the risk for obesity and diabetes. (

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It is known that deaths due to heart diseases are quite common even in younger people. (

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) Various studies have suggested that patients with severe sleep apnea were at a 46 percent increased risk of death compared to those who did not have the abnormal breathing condition. (

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Sudden cardiac arrest claims almost half a million lives each year. To understand the harms sleep apnea alone manifests, go through the following statistics. Just 20 apnea events that equal to one-hour, result in low blood oxygen levels. Although a normal person’s oxygen saturation level is 95-100%, a person experiencing sleep apnea can have a level of 78%, growing their risk of sudden cardiac arrest by 80%. (

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It is high time that you should reflect on your everyday life and figure out if these following factors are common with you or not.

Causes Of Sleep Apnea:

If you are wondering what causes sleep apnea, you should learn about on the following causes-

1. Sleeping On Back Is Not The Right Position To Sleep-

We don’t always pay any attention to how we sleep. It is easy to sleep on the back rather than thinking of the possible side effects linked to it. The thing is, if you sleep on your back, it can cause your tongue and soft palate to rest against the back of your throat and block your airway. (

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A research study shows sleeping position is one of the reasons for developing sleep apnea. People who sleep on their back are more likely to suffer from it than who sleep on their sides. For this reason, choosing sides to sleep on is the ideal solution if you want to know how to treat sleep apnea naturally. (

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To diagnose sleep-disordered breathing, the procedure includes sleep study, in which doctors observe patients sleeping in the same way as they do at their home. Basically, they measure breath, heart rate, loud snoring and the position of sleeping that they are most comfortable with. (

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Another study shows that the position of head affects the occurrence of OSA. (

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2. Smoking As An Addiction-

Several studies have found smoking and sleep apnea has a powerful link in between. A research study shows that smoking causes the inflammation of your upper airway, leading it to cause swelling and due to this, airway tends to get narrowed. (

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Another study whose aim was to create a difference between smoking and non-smoking patients with OSA showed how the habit of smoking is prevalent in patients with OSA. Randomly selected 108 patients with OSA were compared to 106 patients without OSA. The prevalence of smoking was 35% in patients with OSA, while only 18% in patients without OSA. (

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3. Narrowed Airways As Genetic Transmission-

New study findings suggest that the structure of your airways may be narrow because you have inherited it from your parents. (

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A study suggests that sleep apnea syndrome may be inherited. 105 patients with severe sleep apnea participated in this study. It turned out, 47% patients were offspring of the people suffering from this sleeping disorder. (

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4. Excess Weight Is A Roadblock To Healthy Body-

An overweight person tends to have extra tissue in the back of his/her throat. For this reason, the airway becomes narrow and the flow of air into the lungs, while you’re asleep, can’t be normal. (

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If we dig deep to find out the root causes of obesity, a study suggests sleep deprivation obstructs production of

leptin

. In fact, it is one of the potential mechanisms for the initial growth of obesity.

(

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Another study was carried out on 2,968 men and women for 5 years, to examine the impacts of gaining weight on OSA. It turned out, men who gained a similar amount of weight to that of women, were more likely to suffer from severe OSA than women. It concluded, weight gain could affect both men and women but at different rates. (

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5. Family History May Not Be Good For Your Present-

Family history of snoring is one of the major risk factors for developing sleep apnea. (

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As stated above, the unusual structure of the airway might be a result of inheritance. Apart from it, the doctors inquire about sleeping habits of your family members to get a clear idea of the root of the issue. (

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It is important to keep in mind that treatment of sleep apnea differs from person to person because a lot of factors such as body weight, shape, and size of airway structure, the severity of sleep apnea combine together for a doctor to decide best-suited treatment option for the individual. (

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Thus, people who experience sleep deprivation and are likely to be overweight, have a large neck, large tongue, short lower jaw, and a reduction in the size of the airway behind the tongue might be the ideal patients for this disorder. (

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Sleep Apnea Treatment Options:

In case you find any of the above symptoms and causes familiar, you should consider discussing them with your family doctor. A doctor will suggest lifestyle changes for curing mild sleep apnea, which is less dangerous than OSA. Extensive research recommends that following changes in lifestyle that can bring you back to healthy state and, then start living a peaceful life. Read further to know how to treat sleep apnea.

Home Remedies For Sleep Apnea

1. Weight Loss As An Antidote-

Losing weight is a favorable solution to treat sleep apnea naturally. If you have put on extra fat, you should talk to your doctor about the changes in your

diet that can help you lose weight.

A study suggests that consuming low-calorie diet can eradicate the symptoms of sleep apnea. (

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) Drinking two-three cups of green tea every day will provide you with additional benefit for losing weight since fat-absorbing compounds are found in green tea. (

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) Apart from it, green vegetables and fruits are evergreen options.

If you come under the category of obesity and are thinking about reducing weight via weight loss surgery, please note that in extremely obese individuals, OSA has been observed even after weight loss surgery. So, a careful follow-up is necessary. (

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As per a study, the excess fat deposition within the tongue and soft palate is also a risk factor found in OSA patients. (

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A study was carried out in 2,968 men and women for 5 years to examine the impacts of losing weight on OSA. It turned out, a similar amount of weight loss improved the condition of OSA in men better than in women. It concluded, weight loss could better the condition of OSA for both women and men but at different rates. (

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2. Sleep On Your Sides-

Making significant changes in the way you sleep on your bed can improve the condition. The position of your head and neck while you sleep decides whether you breathe easily or not. A study concerning the effects of various sleeping positions on breathing sheds light on how to cure sleep apnea. (

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Understandably, it can be hard to avoid sleeping on back, as during sleeping hours we tend to change the position unknowingly. Tennis Ball technique is one of the easiest ways to encourage anyone to sleep on their side. In this strategy, a tennis ball rests between inner side of the t-shirt and your back. However, it may cause discomfort. But it is a cost-effective trick that you can implement easily. (

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Please note that sleeping on the stomach is the worst sleeping position since it builds stress on the back. (

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A study suggests that severity of sleep apnea was lower for patients who slept on their sides. Whereas, it was higher for patients who slept on their back. (

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3. Add Exercise In Your Routine-

Regular exercise can help ease the symptoms of OSA meanwhile losing weight. Research programs have focused on healthy diet and exercise as better options for producing a positive change in lifestyle. (

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) Among the ideal options is playing an outdoor sport for 30 minutes or taking a brisk walk regularly, almost all days of the week.

A study suggests that the role of fitness shouldn’t be underrated as patients with sleep apnea found improvement in daytime sleepiness and sleep efficiency after a good workout. (

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) It also shows that exercise has the same effect on reducing the severity of sleep apnea as in

continuous positive airway pressure

(CPAP) method. People find it difficult to cope with bulky CPAP. (

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) As one of the study participants said: “It doesn’t look comfortable, it is like sleeping with an open mouth.” (

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The benefit of exercise is such that it is responsible for reducing OSA without a significant drop in weight of the body. (

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4. Do Tongue Exercises-

The

Myofunctional therapy

which is a synonym for tongue exercise works like wonder in patients with moderate sleep apnea. It is also an alternative to surgery. This therapy is about breathing, swallowing and chewing for maximum thirty minutes during a day. (

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A study suggests that tongue-task training for one week brought about 48% reduction in OSA. (

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5. Soft Palate Exercises-

This exercise is also user-friendly which makes you pronounce an oral vowel. Look forward to saying these vowel sounds for three minutes every day. The kind of words that you should be mouthing include cool, kill, coal, coil, kale, keel, and automobile. (

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A study suggests that oral movement has clinical application in a number of diseases including OSA. (

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6. Practice Saying Open Vowels-

This exercise includes saying open vowels while inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth. All these words have a long vowel sound such as finish, like, bee, tree, fly, and shout. Do this exercise for three full minutes any time during the day. (

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The sound of these words emerges from an open mouth, and with no contact made between the tongue, palate and/or teeth. (

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Study findings suggest that there is a correlation between saying open vowels and OSA. (

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7. Blow Up A Rubber Balloon-

Do this Oropharyngeal exercise while maintaining a seated posture. To do this, you have to blow up the balloon making deep breaths, with your fingers supporting the balloon. It will help you by preventing the throat from relaxing as your nose will be able to take air in properly. Therefore, you can be in the restful phase of sleep again.

8. Curing Sleep Apnea With Special Pillow-

Sleeping against a wedge pillow attributes to a natural remedy for sleep apnea. It is again an alternative formed to replace CPAP mask, which is quite difficult for patients to adjust with. (

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) Sleep apnea pillow is a special pillow designed to stretch the neck and tissues inside the throat that otherwise can cause blocking of the airway. (

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A study strongly validates the use of this uniquely designed pillow, which is in a triangular shape, for the treatment of mild to moderate OSA. (

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9. Acupuncture-

A research study shows acupuncture works as one of the best sleep apnea solutions. (

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) This method doesn’t have the adverse effects that are found in CPAP. It functions by stimulating the muscles of the upper airways, which usually collapse when sleep apnea events take place. In addition to this, take care of the fact that the person implementing this solution should be a licensed acupuncturist. (

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) It is important to note that possible risks of wrong practice involve infection or a tendency for fainting. (

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10. Avoid Certain Medications-

The sedatives help relax the muscles in the back of your throat, finally spoiling the quality of your breathing. So, it is better to avoid medications for you if you wish to know how to get rid of sleep apnea. (

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In psychiatric conditions, doctors prescribe

Benzodiazepine

and other sedatives that help patients get rid of anxiety and insomnia. But its use for OSA patients is limited since its high doses may worsen OSA. (

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According to another fact, patients taking

mirtazapine

, which is one of the antidepressants, gained weight which may worsen OSA. (

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11. Keep Your Nasal Passages Open At Night-

Sleep apnea cures by keeping your nasal passages open at night. The nasal passage is the space between the opening of the nose and back of the throat. The experts at treating sleep apnea recommend using saline nasal spray to help keep your nasal passages open. Mayo Clinic suggests you to talk with your doctor about using any nasal decongestants or

antihistamines

because these medications are generally recommended only for short-term use. (

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A study found out that implementation of a 6-week course of a nasal spray improved OSA in children. (

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12. Avoid Alcohol-

To put it simply, alcohol relaxes the central nervous system. When a person drinks too much alcohol, it can cause the muscles of the throat to relax. This can cause a form of central sleep apnea. This is the condition when brain forgets to send signals to lungs for breathing. It lasts for few seconds but may badly affect your health. Avoiding intake of alcohol can surprisingly be considered as one of the sleep apnea remedies. (

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An article published by National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism tells that alcoholics are at an increased risk of OSA even if they don’t possess other causes, like being overweight. Furthermore, moderate to high doses of alcohol can lead to narrowing of the airway passage.

A study was carried out to find out why aging is related to increase in wakefulness during the night. It was found that people over 65 were having less restful sleep and as a result, they were diagnosed with sleep apnea. (

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In this way, it is evident that if we group together OSA, drinking alcohol and

snoring

, it becomes a single reason for heart attack, stroke and sudden death. (

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13. Playing A Wind Instrument-

A research study shows playing the

Didgeridoo

, a wind instrument, helps in lowering sleep-disordered breathing events and daytime sleepiness. It is regarded as a new and unconventional treatment option for sleep apnea. Playing this wind instrument will train airway muscles, preventing them from blocking during the night and as a result, providing the beneficial effect on OSA. (

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A research study supports the above statement. The participants who practiced Didgeridoo reported less sleep disturbance compared to the one who did not. (

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14. Avoid Coffee And Tea Before Sleeping-

To relieve symptoms of sleep apnea, don’t take stimulants like coffee and tea, at least four to six hours before going to sleep. Additionally, avoid heavy meals in the evening, because it can directly affect your sleep. (

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Caffeine found in coffee won’t let you fall asleep during the night. The doctors always advise modifying eating and drinking habits to the patients with sleep apnea. It is for lack of knowledge and awareness that people go on developing it to its worst stage such as OSA. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to avoid beverages rich in caffeine, before sleeping. (

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As per the universal principal, prevention is better than cure, which holds true for sleep apnea treatments, too. All home remedies mentioned above are some of the best natural home remedies for sleep apnea that you will ever come across. Encourage yourself, as well as others, to implement them to get a better lifestyle.

Also Read About:

Essential Oils for Snoring

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Machine:

You may have to go through surgery too if any of the natural remedies for sleep apnea don’t work on your condition. Surgery can be last option that doctors may suggest after implementing mouthpieces and Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP). The CPAP machine works by gently blowing air into the windpipe to keep the airway open. After starting the use of the CPAP machine every night, people usually have improved sleep quality. They feel more refreshed and relaxed in the morning, and have a better daytime as well as enhanced memory. Patients also see benefits in blood pressure control and a lower risk of heart problems. However, patients often report that they feel uncomfortable using CPAP. This method uses forced air, pushed through a tube connected to a face mask, to keep your airway unblocked. Many people have trouble adjusting to a bulky CPAP mask. (

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But according to a new research study, it is reliable. “The technology for CPAP machines has advanced, and the treatment is usually very well tolerated in patients,” said Shaib from Baylor College of Medicine. If patients do not tolerate the CPAP machine, other treatment options can include a custom-made oral appliance or surgery. (

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) So don’t be discouraged because real treatment is within your reach, which is your will to heal whether comes hell or high water.

Do’s To Cure Sleep Apnea

Please follow the listed suggestions to avoid any complications that usually occur in patients with sleep apnea.

Since CPAP is quite complex, it requires adjustment from time to time. So you are in charge of visiting or taking your family member to doctor routinely.

If you are going to have any surgery, let the surgeons know you are suffering from sleep apnea. In this case, there are some guidelines which they are responsible to follow necessarily as a rule. Also, doctors may make you rest on your back which will not manifest any good effects for you. Just neglecting the procedure may invite adverse complications. (

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If your family member wears a mouthpiece, provide emotional support and take him or her to doctor for the routine checkup.

Tell your partner whether he or she snores loudly and help them treat it as soon as possible.

Avoid drinking, as intake of alcohol damages your sleep quality.

Keep the lights of the room dim. Using light to your advantage promotes a good sleep-wake cycle.

Don’ts To Cure Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea causes some of the unwanted effects in your daily life. So, to have better control, change your gears by following the suggestions listed below-

Don’t gain excess weight. For that matter, don’t eat junk food. Basically, your aim should be to avoid food rich in cholesterol.

Don’t drive vehicle during the day. If you fall asleep, it will only take a few seconds to put your life in danger.

Don’t run heavy machinery during the day since excessive tiredness may cause you to fall asleep abruptly.

Don’t smoke since smoking simply blocks your airway. A study was conducted on 20 people who suffered from OSA and were given nicotine. It didn’t help the condition, hence concluding that smoking does not cure the illness but only puts your health at stake.

Don’t watch TV just before you go to bed. Watching TV before sleeping is linked with poor sleep.

Don’t let anybody in the family consume caffeine before sleeping. It can enter the human body in the form of chocolate, tea, coffee or energy drink like sodas. Your sleep cycle affects merely by taking caffeine.

Conclusion:

When days are hectic, sound sleep in the night is needed to remain active during the next working day. The restful phase of sleep gets disturbed by sleep deprivation, which is caused by sleep apnea. Where there is a problem, there is a solution too. It is good news that you may have a seemingly well-adjusted routine to follow. It is up to you to gain control over your life, otherwise, the probability of another way around being true is large.

Anyway, it is way better to be aware of small issues that might become big trouble anytime, than being ignorant.

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