Preventing Sleep Apnea

Written by Fred McConnell

If you think that you might be suffering from sleep apnea, there are several things that you can do for yourself that will improve your odds of getting a healthy and rejuvenating night’s sleep. Of course, home remedies are not a replacement for talking to your doctor. You really should still get checked out, because this sleep disorder can cause some serious health problems like heart disease. But, these are the things you can do that will aid your treatment of sleep apnea and hopefully reduce your need for medical intervention in the future.

Lifestyle Changes

Before you read further, understand that most of the home remedies for sleep apnea will require you to make some changes in your life. It is not something you do for a while, and then go back to the way things use to be in the past. Once you make a healthy change, you need to stick with it.

In order to make some of these changes, you may need some encouragement from your doctor and your partner, especially until you get into the habit of living the change. But, you should notice when it starts working. You should actually feel rested, when you wake up in the morning and not feel like you need a nap all day.

Change your Mirror View

When you look in the mirror, what do you see? If you have sleep apnea, you probably see someone who could stand to lose some weight. Although it may not seem like it should matter, excess weight is probably the number one cause of sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea is usually a result of a blocked airway. When you sleep, the flap in the back of your throat blocks your oxygen as the muscles relax in slumber. If you are overweight, the blockage is more likely to occur. Getting rid of those extra pounds effects a lot more than how your clothes fit.

Of course, this is where the help of your physician comes into play. He/she can give you advice on a healthy weight, how fast you should/should not lose it, and send you to a dietician for healthier eating plans. Again, this is a lifestyle change. You cannot get rid of the weight, and then go back to the way you ate a few months ago. A diet is the wrong concept. Eating healthier is something you need to do for the rest of your life. In the end, it will help a lot more than your sleep apnea.

Become a Teetotaler

Do you like to have a glass of wine with dinner? Do you go out with friends on the weekend and have a few drinks? Well, you may have to become the designated driver. As you know, when you drink alcohol, it is relaxing. Unfortunately, it will also relax those muscles that might prevent you airway from becoming blocked during sleep. It may be very difficult to change your social habits. You will have to make the choice as to whether the benefits are more important. But, do not forget to consider the risks to your health, if you cannot get this sleep apnea under control.

By the way, if alcohol is a means to help you sleep better at night, do not think of substituting a drink with sleep aids. A sleeping pill will have the same effect on your muscles.

Enlistment

For this solution to sleep apnea, you may need the help of your partner. You may have to enlist him/her to make sure that you change your sleeping position. Presumably because of gravity, your airway is more likely to become obstructed if you sleep on your back. Since you are asleep, you will not notice that you have reverted back to that position.

So, if you start snoring again, and it wakes your partner, it is time to wake you up. You need to be sleeping on your side or your stomach, to help prevent that flap of tissue from blocking your airway. If you sleep alone, you might want to try pillows behind your back. Then, if you start sleeping on your side, it will be a little more difficult to roll to your back. Your doctor may also have some suggestions that will help you change sleeping positions.

Blow your Nose

Okay. The subtitle is simply an attention getter, but the principle applies. If your nose is plugged, you are more likely to have sleep apnea. A lot of people who have this sleeping disorder also have difficulty keeping their nasal passages open at night. You may want to try some of those nasal strips you can find in the pharmacy section of your grocery store. If your passages are open, you are more likely to get the oxygen needed to have a deep and restful night’s sleep.

Now you have 4 home remedies for sleep apnea. However, you still need to see your doctor and make sure you do not have any underlying health concerns that need to be taken care of first. Then, you can have a good night.