Sleep Apnea is a health disorder that is marked by breathing pauses that occur while a person is asleep. It can be caused by things such as an airway obstruction, for example like the tongue, that prevents a person from breathing. Sleep apnea complications can be serious, leaving many people looking for natural remedies for sleep apnea.
Sleep Apnea Lifestyle Remedies
Lifestyle choices can certainly contribute to sleep disorders, including sleep apnea, and some lifestyle changes that can help relieve sleep apnea include trying to avoid smoking and avoid alcohol. Both smoking and heavy alcohol use have been shown to contribute to sleep apnea symptoms and reducing or cessation of these activities has been shown to contribute to better sleep health.
Other lifestyle changes that can help with sleep apnea include using a humidifier while you sleep at night. Dry air can really influence the throat muscles, making it harder to breathe, and a humidifier can open up the airways and make it easier to breathe.
Top 5 Natural Remedies for Sleep Apnea:
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Weight management and exercise –
Fitness level and weight are two important factors that contribute to sleep apnea. One of the first places to start is trying to maintain a healthy diet that contributes to weight loss and your body getting all of the nutrients it needs to stay healthy.
Not only does maintaining a healthy weight help with sleep apnea, it can also reduce the risk of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and other health risks. In addition to eating healthier, it is also important to exercise regularly which helps contribute to maintaining a healthy weight and increasing your fitness level can increase your ability to properly breathe while you sleep.
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Positional therapy –
Positional therapy is a form of treatment for obstructive sleep apnea and helps people by sleeping on their side or stomach instead of their backs. Most positional therapy devices work by helping to keep a person on their side during sleep. This sleep apnea home treatment can help keep the airways open and you breathing properly throughout the night. Sleep apnea severity is a big factor in determining if this type of treatment will work for you. A sleep study can help determine the severity of sleep apnea.
Zzoma is a positional sleep apnea device that is designed to treat mild and moderate positional obstructive sleep apnea by holding you in a side sleep position. It can provide you with a comfortable night of sleep and works as a form of sleep apnea prevention. It has been clinically proven to be effective and has shown to be a great alternative to oral appliances or continuous positive airway pressure therapy also known as CPAP therapy.
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Herbal remedies and supplements –
One of the most common natural remedies for sleep apnea people try to alleviate their symptoms are herbal remedies and supplements. Many of these supplements are designed to improve sleep quality such as melatonin and valerian root but may have some beneficial effects for the treatment of sleep apnea.
Other home remedies such as ginger and turmeric have anti-inflammatory properties that could potentially relax your airways and allow you to breathe better. Some nasal breathing treatments like strips also work to open up airways.
It should be noted that many times herbal remedies and supplements may not completely treat sleep apnea and could cause daytime sleepiness. You should always consult with a sleep specialist at a sleep center for a sleep apnea screening before starting any new regime to determine what treatment you need because there are also many benefits of using a CPAP pillow.
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Breathing exercises and yoga –
Another natural remedy for the treatment of sleep apnea involves practicing certain breathing exercises. These exercises can help with sleep apnea by improving respiratory function. These exercises can also have a beneficial effect as relaxation techniques for stress and anxiety, both of which can contribute to sleep apnea symptoms.
Some of the most popular breathing exercises are ones that involve holding in your breath for a certain amount of time before exhaling and diaphragmatic breathing exercises. Tongue exercises can also be beneficial for sleep apnea especially if your tongue is causing an obstruction. These exercises can strengthen your tongue and help it stay in a position that does not cause an obstruction while you sleep.
Yoga can help with sleep apnea by strengthening the upper airway and reducing stress. There are various poses available to learn and yoga may even help with snoring.
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Sleep hygiene and lifestyle changes –
Sleep hygiene is another great natural remedy for sleep apnea. Sleep hygiene can involve making your sleep environment comfortable in ways such as keeping it cool, dark, quiet, and using comfortable bedding. It can also include maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, considering side sleeping, elevating head, and avoiding stimulants and electronics before bedtime.
Lifestyle factors can help with sleep apnea management as well such as maintaining a healthy weight as obesity is one of the major sleep apnea risk factors. Reducing alcohol and tobacco use is another important step. Sleep apnea monitoring will also be beneficial as it can help you understand if your symptoms are getting better or worse.
Causes of Obstructive Sleep Apnea
There are many potential causes of obstructive sleep apnea, and some people don’t even have sleep apnea awareness not knowing that they have the condition. Anatomy is one cause as some people have large tonsils or tongues. Lifestyle factors and weight can also be sleep apnea causes. Age and genetics are also causes as some people are born with it or develop sleep apnea as they get older. The only real way to know the cause is to talk to your doctor.
Taking Control of your Sleep Apnea with Natural Remedies
If you have sleep apnea and you want to try and treat it naturally instead of with devices like CPAP, the good news is having sleep apnea treated naturally is possible. Having a healthy diet and regularly exercising can go a long way and other remedies may also help.
One of the best options is to try a positional sleep apnea treatment device like Zzoma which can give you a comfortable night’s sleep while relieving your sleep apnea. Contact Zzoma to learn more about how it can help you.
One of the best options is to try a positional sleep apnea treatment device like Zzoma which can give you a comfortable night’s sleep while relieving your sleep apnea. Contact Zzoma to learn more about how it can help you.