Sleep Apnea Home Remedies
Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder which often goes undiagnosed. Generally this is known for low breathing, which is not normal during sleep. There may also be unnatural pauses in breathing while sleep. This gap between breathing called apnea, may continue from few seconds to minutes. Within an hour, it may occur 5 to 30 times. There are no blood tests for this chronic (ongoing) condition that disrupts your sleep. Following information is to provide you with some home remedies for sleep apnea.
Stop using things like alcohol, sleeping pills and sedatives. These relax your throat muscles, which makes you snore more. Alcohol depresses the nervous system and relaxes the muscles in the air passages. Over-relaxed breathing muscles lead to increased snoring and the increased possibility of breathing stoppage. Drinking excessive alcohol before sleep can worsen the symptoms of sleep apnea. Yes but you can surely have a glass of warm milk.
No Smoking: If you are a smoker, then quit smoking because smokers have more sleep trouble than non-smokers. Smoking can increase inflammation and fluid retention in your throat and upper airway, that can also be a major cause for sleep apnea.
Sleep By your side: Avoid sleeping on your back. This can cause the pressure from gravity that helps to encourage your sleep apnea. You can put a tennis ball into a pocket on the back of your pajama top to keep of rolling on your back while you are asleep.
Avoid heavy meals in evening. Don’t consume heavy meals within three hours of going to bed. Also try to avoid caffeine like coffee, tea, soda, and chocolate or have it at least two hours before bedtime.
Good Bye those Extra Fats (Weight Loss): Majority of the people that suffer with apnea are overweight. Their extra body fat crushes their air tubes at night while they sleep. It is observed in obese people that fat deposits in their mouth can limit breathing and breathing is further limited when the person is lying down. Also, very little weight loss can be helpful to open the throat which ultimately improves the symptoms of sleep apnea.
Exercise regularly: You can perform certain tongue and throat exercises to ease sleep apnea. You can also perform yoga that uses breathing and visualization techniques which help to relax and tone the muscles, and it is recommended you do the exercises every night before sleep. Physical exercises like running, weights training, racquetball, aerobic activity or swimming, fencing help your body train itself to more efficiently use oxygen and relax you throat and lungs muscles. Exercise regularly to achieve good results.
Elevate your head of your bed about four to six inches i.e. tilt your head back, lifting up your chin and raising your neck. You can achieve this by a rolled towel or a cylindrical pillow under your neck. When it is in the correct position it will force your mouth to hang open. This can help your head stay in a position that reduces sleep apnea. You can also use foam wedge for elevating your body from the waist while sleeping at night.
Have Plenty of Sleep: Get plenty of sleep every night to keep your body and mind well rested. Maintain a sleeping routine with a regular bedtime
In case any of the above mentioned home remedies for sleep apnea doesn’t show effective results for you then it is recommended to consult your healthcare provider.