Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder and one of the most common treatments sleep study clinic bethesda recommend for sleep apnea is CPAP. But what if you want to venture out for other modes of treatments rather than having to wear a mask all night long. Here are some treatment methods for sleep apnea.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
To get a better idea of the treatments of sleep apnea, you first must know what is sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a disorder in which you might stop breathing while you are asleep. This happens due to your air way being blocked and you not getting enough oxygen. Sleep apnea can be like the sound of snoring. Mostly, people will gasp and wake up, because they will not feel they are getting enough air to breathe.
How Sleep Apnea Affects You?
Sleep apnea may sound like an ordinary disorder, but it can really mess up with your sleeping schedule and mood. People with sleep apnea, who have suffered from gasping or shortness of breath before, will be terrified to fall back asleep. Although, there are not many serious cases of sleep apnea, there is always a possibility that a person can lose his/her breathing. Loss of breath can result in fainting and in rare and worst cases, death.
Although no such case has been reported for death caused by sleep apnea, it can really mess with your psychological state and give you extreme anxiety over falling asleep at night. We all know what lack of sleep can cause. It can lead to several health problems, a weak brain, lack of concentration and focus, fatigue and extreme tiredness.
Treatments and Cures for Sleep Apnea Other Than CPAP
To combat sleep apnea, here are some natural ways you can stop gasping and hopefully breathe easily while sleeping. All of the remedies included below don’t require any fancy masks and equipment. These remedies are just moderate lifestyle changes which will help with sleep apnea.
Breathing Exercises
Breathing exercises are great for you, in general, but for people who suffer from sleep apnea, it is much better. The best breathing exercise you can try out is yoga. It doesn’t have to be very hardcore; you can try simple poses and work on your breathing as you go. Yoga is an amazing exercise; it makes your body flexible and loose and it promotes oxygen to come in your body.
Regular yoga can also make your body tired and promote better sleep. Yoga is proven to be a great exercise if you want to increase oxygen levels in your body, which will ultimately help with sleep apnea and other sleep disorders because it is caused by a lack of oxygen in the blood in the first place.
Change Your Sleeping Position
Sleeping position can have a huge impact on sleep apnea. Changing your sleeping position can make a world of difference. Make sure you are sleeping in a comfortable position, where your head is slightly elevated can help with breathing. Also, it is not recommended that you sleep on your back if you have sleep apnea, but this varies for a lot of people. Some people sleep great on their backs and some people have a good time sleeping on their sides. So, it is up to you, which position is the best for you, but changing it up can definitely help with your breathing problems.
Manage Your Weight
Managing your weight is also another natural cure for sleep apnea. When your body is bigger, it’s going to need more oxygen to operate. Having an optimum weight is better for your sleep apnea. A lot of studies have shown that obese people have more difficulty sleeping with sleep apnea, as opposed to less obese people. Obesity can also reduce the chances of your airways being blocked, which in turn, can help with you sleep better at night. What’s even better is that you won’t need a CPAP mask to wear if you are not obese. Isn’t that great?
There you go! These methods are better for people who suffer from sleep apnea but are terrified by the idea of wearing a mask. Do consult with a sleep doctor chevy chase to guide you through the process properly.
