Waking up tired in the morning doesn’t set you up for a successful day, but if you know that night you’ll catch up on your sleep, it isn’t too big of a deal. However, many people wake up tired each and every morning with headaches, irritability, and a general loss of interest in life. One of the leading causes of sleep deprivation is sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which your breathing pauses for a time, many times per night. These pauses can last 8 seconds or much longer, and they deprive your body of oxygen and don’t allow your brain to restore itself for the coming day. This doesn’t mean just tiredness. It means that because you constantly awaken to resume breathing, your brain can’t clear toxic waste from its surface, file memories, or produce new hormones that help your body function.
Sleeping is essential for your body and brain, so that’s why seeking treatment for sleep apnea is crucial. With sleep apnea treatment, you’ll wake up feeling rested each morning, have the energy to play out your responsibilities and hobbies, and feel a positive outlook on life.
What Is The Treatment For Sleep Apnea?
There are many different types of treatment for sleep apnea so that you can choose the best one for your type of sleep apnea, its severity, and your lifestyle.
CPAP: CPAP stands for “Continuous Positive Airway Pressure,” and it’s a machine that you wear every time you sleep. You’ll wear a mask over your nose and mouth, which the machine will push air through. The continuous air pressure will hold your airway open while you sleep and remind your lungs to breathe. A CPAP is 100% effective for obstructive sleep apnea, central sleep apnea, and complex sleep apnea. Although, many people find the machine cumbersome and can’t adhere to the treatment.
Inspire Sleep Apnea Treatment: Inspire is a new treatment option placed during outpatient surgery. This device lives inside your body, and you turn it on each night with a remote. The device holds your airway open, allowing you to breathe. Inspire can treat obstructive sleep apnea, central sleep apnea, and complex sleep apnea.
Oral Appliance Therapy: Oral appliance therapy is for those looking to treat sleep apnea without a CPAP. It is a sleek mouthguard-like appliance that you wear when you sleep. There are many different oral appliances, but most work by positioning your jaw so your airway stays open. This treatment is just as effective as the CPAP and sometimes more so because it’s easier to adhere to the treatment. Oral appliance therapy treats those with obstructive sleep apnea. It’s easy to use, easy to sleep with, easy to travel with, and doesn’t disturb your partner’s sleep either.
Surgery: Surgery for sleep apnea treatment is an option, but it’s not very effective and not recommended by most medical professionals.
Can I Treat Sleep Apnea At Home?
Many people wonder if there is a way to treat sleep apnea at home, and unfortunately, there is no effective sleep apnea home remedy. However, you can do things to aid your sleep apnea treatment. Those who start practicing a healthier lifestyle could slightly reduce the severity of their sleep disorder and widen their treatment options. Besides, living a healthier lifestyle won’t only help your sleep apnea, but it will help the rest of your body too and possibly head off complications in the future.
While you can’t cure your sleep apnea at home, you can help your treatment by doing these 5 things.
Five Things You Can Do to Help Your Sleep Apnea Treatment
- Lose some weight: If you’re overweight, you could reduce the severity of your sleep apnea by losing weight. The soft tissues in your airway sag in those with obstructive sleep apnea, blocking airflow. The excess weight on your neck doesn’t help matters. Returning to a healthy weight for your age, gender, and height can help you get the most out of your sleep apnea treatment—and your life!
- Avoid alcohol and smoking: One of the best things you can do to aid your sleep apnea treatment is avoid smoking and alcohol. Alcohol relaxes the muscles that control your breathing, making the soft tissues in your throat sag even more, and smoking introduces inflammation into your airway. Both of which cut you off from oxygen!
- Practice yoga: Practicing yoga might seem like a silly way to get the most out of your sleep apnea treatment, but yoga’s “Ujjayi breathing” improves respiratory strength and oxygen flow throughout your body. Like any exercise, its benefits continue to work long after you stop performing it.
- Use a humidifier: Humidifiers release moisture into the airway. Typically, those who have sleep apnea sleep with their mouth open which causes their airways to dry out become irritated and inflamed. Sleeping with a humidifier can reduce the irritation and inflammation in your airway.
- Adjust your sleeping position: If you’re a back sleeper, try sleeping on your side to reduce the symptoms of sleep apnea. Sleeping on your back can cause your tongue to fall back and block your airway.
Do You Have Sleep Apnea, San Jose?
Top Down Dental in Los Gatos is your solution for sleep apnea. If you’re looking for better sleep and a better quality of life, contact Dr. Nancy Nehwandian. She can help you get your sleep apnea diagnosed and provide life-changing treatment. Don’t wait for a better night’s sleep. Call (408) 354-5600 today or make an appointment online.
