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There are numerous sleep apnea treatments available that vary from individual to individual along with the severity of the condition.
In this article, we will discuss the numerous treatments for this condition, ranging from home remedies to lifestyle changes and CPAP alternatives. But before that, let’s understand what sleep apnea is and its symptoms along with the impact it has on your daily routine.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea can be understood as a condition that causes your body to stop breathing for a shorter time frame while you are sleeping.
People with this condition cannot get enough oxygen in their bodies while they are sleeping, which causes them to suddenly wake up. Generally, people are not aware that they have stopped breathing and think that their sleep cycle is normal.
Sleep apnea treatment is important as it can cause several health complications while impacting your normal lifestyle. These include:
- Being groggy and tired the next day since you cannot get proper sleep
- Poor immune function in the body
- Increased chances of heart failure
- Memory loss
Sleep apnea can further impact your mental health with mental fogginess and disrupted brain function.
The symptoms of sleep apnea that you must be aware of include:
- Snoring which is one of the most common symptoms of sleep apnea
- Drowsiness or sleepiness during the day
- Feeling exhausted and tired after waking up
- Increased mood changes
- Repeatedly waking up at night
- Night sweats
- Restlessness
- Headaches
- Insomnia
Obstructive Sleep Apnea Treatment
Obstructive sleep apnea tends to be one of the most common forms of the condition. This condition causes the muscles of your neck and head to relax while you are sleeping, which results in the surrounding tissue pressing onto the windpipe. This obstructs the air’s ability to pass through the windpipe. One of the most common treatments for obstructive sleep apnea is using CPAP.
Sleep Apnea Treatment at Home
There are some lifestyle approaches that you can try for sleep apnea treatment that will help in the management of these symptoms. These include:
1. Healthy Weight Management
Obesity tends to be one of the contributing factors to sleep apnea because it increases the probability of narrow nasal passages and airway obstruction. Therefore, maintaining a healthy weight is amongst the effective sleep apnea treatments that will help in managing the symptoms.
2. Yoga
Regularly practising yoga for sleep apnea will help in building respiratory strength in the body as well as boosting oxygen flow. The increased energy flow in the body will help in decreasing the sleep interruptions because of this condition.
3. Avoid Smoking and Alcohol
Alcohol and tobacco use can cause inflammation in your airways that can worsen your sleep apnea symptoms. That is why it is recommended to avoid smoking and drinking alcohol.
4. Use Humidifier at Home
Using a humidifier will help in increasing the moisture in the air, which will help in reducing congestion and opening your airways.
Home Remedies for Sleep Apnea
The sleep apnea treatments for home remedies that you can try are:
- Use oral appliances available in the market which will help in repositioning of the tongue and jaw to keep your airway open while you are sleeping.
- Try altering your sleep position, which will definitely help in better management of the symptoms for this condition.
Sleep Apnea Treatment without CPAP
For mild sleep apnea symptoms, you can try the aforementioned home remedies and lifestyle including weight loss, yoga, using a humidifier, and more. However, for severe and moderate sleep apnea treatments, they might not be useful. In that case, you need to consult a doctor for a proper treatment plan.
CPAP Alternative
CPAP alternative treatments for sleep apnea include using an oral appliance, nasal valve therapy, surgery to fix the underlying issue of sleep apnea, and bilevel positive airway pressure.
Numerous sleep apnea treatments will help in managing the symptoms of this condition to a certain extent.
If the symptoms of sleep apnea are too severe, then it is recommended to consult a medical professional who might even suggest surgery or proper medication depending on the severity. But this does not mean that home remedies and traditional approaches do not work at all. This might prove to be effective for people with mild symptoms of sleep apnea.
