Sleep apnea happens to be a condition that causes you to stop breathing for short intervals at the time of sleeping. People who are suffering from sleep apnea, naturally lack sufficient oxygen in their bodies.
At night, a sleep apnea patient can stop breathing for up to 30 times every 60 minutes often for some brief moments and the worst part is that those people are not even aware of this at all.
Sleep apnea can sound like snoring and it has severe consequences and some of them are even life-threatening in nature.
However, the good news is that there are different kinds of treatment methods that are available for treating sleep apnea along with some very effective home remedies.
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You can try these prior to switching to CPAP therapy or other treatments as recommended by the physician. Just read on.
- Try Throat Exercise – You should try to permit proper airflow through the nose. This can be done by blowing up balloons as much as possible with the help of deep breaths. Between the breaths do not take the balloon out of the mouth. For improving the airflow, you should repeat this exercise about five times.
- Maintain a Weight that Is Healthy – Doctors recommend people to lose weight when they have sleep apnea. The airway obstruction can be caused by obesity in the upper body that can enhance the airway obstruction risk as a result of which the nasal passages are narrowed. These passages can result in making you stop breathing for a prolonged time when sleeping. A healthy weight can assist in reducing the sleep apnea syndromes by keeping the airways clear. Weight reduction in obese people can eliminate the need for surgery of the upper airway or long-term CPAP therapy. Sleep apnea can also be eliminated completely by weight reduction in some cases. However, once you regain the weight, the condition may return.
- Have Honey – The swelling around the neck is often reduced by honey that consists of anti-inflammatory properties. It also assists with snoring as it acts as a throat lubricant. For using honey for treating sleep apnea you should add a tablespoon of honey to a glass full of warm water and drink it prior to going to bed.
- Change the Sleep Position – Though minutely, altering the position in which you sleep can reduce the symptoms of sleep apnea and improve the depth of your sleep at night. In fact, studies have revealed that most of the obstructive sleep apnea cases are dependent on sleep position. Studies throw light on the fact that opting for the supine position or sleeping on the back can make the symptoms worse. In certain cases, sleeping on the side can assist to retrieve your normal breathing. This is particularly the case with adults. Nevertheless, kids with sleep apnea are found to sleep better on their backs. To evaluate the right options for treatment you should discuss your sleep apnea problems with your doctor.
- Have Garlic – The garlic is another sleep apnea treatment that you can try if you do not want to use the CPAP machine. It has anti-inflammatory properties and it assists in the opening up of the airways for easier breathing by alleviating larger tonsils. You should have 2-3 cloves of garlic and then have a glass of water on a daily basis for controlling sleep apnea.
- Use Humidifier – The humidifiers are tools that enhance the moisture level in the air. The dry air can irritate the respiratory system as well as the body. The airways can be opened up by humidifier by decreasing the congestion and boosting clearer breathing. You can add peppermint, eucalyptus or lavender oil to the humidifier. These oils are known for their soothing and anti-inflammatory benefits. As humidifiers can harbor bacteria and molds, you should follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how to clean the humidifier.
The above are some of the home sleep apnea or snoring treatment hacks that you can try in order to control your sleep apnea symptoms. If these do not work, you should definitely consult with your doctor without delay as sleep apnea is quite a grave and life-threatening ailment and it should be treated as soon as possible.
