How 5 Things Will Change The Way You Approach Sleep Apnea

 Sleep apnea is a disorder that causes breathing to stop and start. These pauses in breathing can last anywhere from a few seconds to minutes, and they happen as many as 30 times or more per hour.

It is estimated that as many as 18 million Americans suffer from this condition. The most common symptom of sleep apnea is loud snoring, but it can also cause daytime drowsiness, morning headaches, and difficulty concentrating.

So how can you minimize sleep apnea, and what remedies should you use? In this article, we will provide you with 5 simple tips that can help you overcome and recover from sleep apnea. So without delaying further, let’s begin.

5 Things Will Change The Way You Approach Sleep Apnea

There are 5 things that will change the way you approach sleep apnea:

• Maintain a healthy weight

• Try yoga

• Alter your sleep position

• Avoid alcohol and smoking

• Use oral appliances

1. Maintain A Healthy Weight

As someone with sleep apnea, I can tell you that the worst part is waking up gasping for air. It's a terrifying experience.

The first thing you should do is find out your BMI. This will give you an idea of whether you are underweight, healthy, overweight, or obese. If your BMI is under 18.5, then you are considered underweight. You are considered a healthy weight if it is between 18.5 and 24.9. If it is between 25 and 29.9, you are overweight, and if it is over 30, you are obese.

Therefore, maintaining a healthy weight can help your airways stay clear & lessen sleep apnea symptoms. For those with obesity, research shows that maintaining a modest weight loss could eliminate the need for surgery or CPAP therapy which is great.

2. Try Yoga

Yoga has been proven to have many benefits and can be used to help with sleep apnea. It helps to increase the strength of the muscles in your neck, which can help to open up your airways. Yoga also helps you relax so you can fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. This will give you more time to rest your body which will also help with sleep apnea symptoms.

There are many different types of yoga practices that are available, but one type called Pranayama breathing exercises may be the most beneficial for people who suffer from sleep apnea because it increases circulation in the brain.

Pranayama means "breath control" and is a yoga practice that uses controlled breathing techniques to help regulate the body's airway or breathing pattern. The act of controlling one's breath can be highly beneficial for athletes, as well as anyone with sleep apnea.

3. Alter Your Sleep Position

There are many causes of sleep apnea. One of them is the position you sleep in. If you are a side sleeper, try sleeping on your back or stomach. If you are a back sleeper, try sleeping on your side. If you are a stomach sleeper, try sleeping on your side or back. This will help to keep the airways open and prevent any airway obstruction that may cause sleep apnea.

Sleeping on your side can help retain airways open at night; maintaining this posture can be difficult if you frequently roll over to your back. Sleepers sometimes use wedge pillows to keep them from rolling over. Others might wear a fanny pack on their lower back with a couple of tennis balls. These strategies can become unnecessary with time to keep you on your side.

4. Avoid Alcohol And Smoking

Sleep apnea is a condition that affects the quality of sleep. It can be caused by many factors, including alcohol consumption. Alcohol is a depressant, and as such, it slows down the brain waves, making it more difficult to breathe during sleep.

Smoking also has an effect on the quality of sleep. Nicotine in tobacco products stimulates the same receptors in the brain as caffeine, making it very difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep.

Lifestyle adaptations like stopping smoking and drinking less alcohol can improve your health and encourage better sleeping habits. This will reduce sleep complications related to these issues.

5. Use Oral Appliances

Oral appliances are devices worn in the mouth during sleep to help control snoring and prevent or reduce sleep apnea symptoms. They can be made out of plastic or metal. They are often custom-made for each individual and fitted by a dentist or specialist.

Different types of oral appliances include:

Mandibular Advancement Device (MAD)

This device pulls back the lower jaw to open up airways.

Tongue Stabilizing Device

This device holds the tongue in place so it doesn't fall back into the throat.

Mandibular Retractor

This device pulls the lower jaw forward and upward to open up airways.

Conclusion

At first, it can be daunting for you to implement these tips regularly but remember these must be your priority to control sleep apnea; otherwise, it gets uncontrollable. If your sleep apnea worsens without making delays, just consult with your doctor. If you don’t know any experts, you can even consult with Gorman Health and Wellness, an experienced and well-known sleep apnea doctor Los Angeles who offers you guidance related to apnea.