A Few Helpful Home Remedies for Sleep Apnea

If you don’t already know, dental care is the best way to treat sleep apnea. Many dentists have therapies that permanently fix the issue. Still, you may not have time for a dental visit and need immediate help. In that case, you should consider home remedies for sleep apnea. These would lessen your symptoms until you get professional care. Luckily, your Owings Mills dentist happens to know a few. Here are four alternative sleep apnea treatments to use at home.

Lose Excess Weight

Generally, one of the best ways to manage sleep apnea is to lose weight. Doing so can address one of the condition’s core causes.

You see, obesity is a major risk factor for sleep apnea. Excess fat – especially in your upper body – can constrict your airway and narrow your nasal passages. When that happens, you’ll develop obstructions that cause you to stop breathing while sleeping.

In contrast, maintaining a healthy weight keeps your airways clear. Studies even show that losing body fat can eliminate the need for upper airway surgery or CPAP therapy. As such, a reasonable weight loss regimen can help you manage sleep apnea.

Change Sleep Position(s)

Changing your sleep position can also reduce sleep apnea symptoms. In fact, research today shows that more than half of sleep apnea cases depend on how you sleep.

As it turns out, sleeping on your back – the prone position – can worsen your symptoms. This fact may be due to the tongue sliding back and blocking your airway. When it does so, you can’t breathe properly and might wake up in the middle of the night.

If possible, try sleeping on your side to prevent airway blockage. You can get used to the new position by placing pillows around your body. These items would keep you from rolling onto your back.

Avoid Tobacco & Alcohol

Tobacco and alcohol contribute to sleep apnea as well. So, you could ease your problem by not smoking and drinking as much.

These habits can cause sleep apnea by changing your throat. For example, smoking can swell your upper airways until they get blocked. Alternatively, drinking alcohol can relax the throat until you start snoring.

While quitting these habits is tricky, doing so is well worth it. You’d reduce sleep apnea symptoms and lower your heart disease and cancer risk.

Exercise Regularly

True, exercise can help with weight loss – a well-regard sleep apnea fix. Even so, physical activity can improve symptoms even if you don’t lose excess fat.

According to the latest science, exercise reduces disrupted breathing during sleep. That especially applies to cardio-intensive activities like walking, jogging, and running. The thought is that these things improve your oxygen levels by training your breath.

As you can see, home remedies for sleep apnea are worthwhile. Try the ones listed above while you wait to see a dentist for treatment.

About the Practice

Dolfield Dental is based in Owings Mills, MD. Led by Drs. Jacob and Cynthia Miller, our practice strives to offer the best possible dentistry. To that end, we offer preventive, cosmetic, and restorative services, as well as emergency dental care. Our team is also equipped to perform high-quality TMJ and sleep apnea therapies. If you’d like more information or to book a visit, you can reach us on our website or by phone at (410)-902-4110.