person sleeping on their side

It's estimated that one out of every 15 Americans experience sleep apnea, or regular lapses in breathing as one sleeps. The sleep disorder is common - and also very treatable. Failure to seek treatment, however, can lead to some dire consequences. Perhaps the most common - and effective - treatment for those with moderate to severe sleep apnea is administering the CPAP, or Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, device at night. Contrary to what many believe, however, those with mild sleep apnea symptoms may be able to kick the sleep disorder all together with a little bit of home remedies.

That's right, there are various home remedies that can be administered to potentially eliminate symptoms. In Part I of this series, we'll focus on some sleeping adjustments that you can make to possibly minimize or kick the disorder for good. Here's a look:

Sleep Apnea Home Remedies: Sleeping Adjustments

  • Try sleeping on your side: This likely won't work for everyone, but it's certainly worth a shot. That's because many people find that their throat muscles relax even more when they sleep on their backs, leading to a greater likelihood of experiencing sleep apnea. If you're a restless sleeper and don't think that you'll stay on your side the whole night, you may want to try this trick - stitch a tennis ball into the back of your pajamas. The discomfort of laying on your back with that in there should be enough for you to readjust to your side.
  • Elevate the head of your bed: If you don't have one of those fancy beds where you can control elevation with the push of a button, have no fear - you can still do this, you just need to get a little creative. One way is to put bricks underneath the legs of your bed, obviously placing more at the front of it. You could even just pick up a cervical pillow and see if that helps your symptoms. By elevating your head, your throat muscles don't quite have the same type of opportunity to relax - and potentially stop your breathing - than if you were laying down flat.
  • Breathing strips: Nasal strips don't just offer the benefit of relieving nasal congestion, but they can also help promote better breathing and a better night's sleep.
  • Treat colds, allergies: Don't encourage sleep apnea by letting congestion linger. Instead, once you think you're getting a cold or your allergies are flaring up, treat it.

Sleeping adjustments are just one class of home remedies that can combat the sleep apnea sleep disorder. Another class of home remedies are lifestyle adjustments, which we'll cover in Part II of this series.

For more information on sleep apnea, and home remedies that can help curb symptoms, contact Kanehl Dental today.