What Are Some Effective Strategies for Managing Sleep Apnea at Home?

What Is Sleep Apnea and What Causes It?

It is a health condition that impacts the sleep quality at night. The disorder entails incorrect breathing at night, where you stop breathing for seconds or minutes in your sleep. The episodes happen randomly and repeatedly as you sleep. Since they are involuntary episodes, patients have little control over their breathing patterns.

Up to now, extensive research continues to identify the specific cause of sleep apnea. However, dentists near you have identified several factors that heighten the risk of sleep apnea, including the following:

• Excess weight gain – obese and overweight persons are likelier to suffer sleep apnea than the average person.
• Poor posture – sleeping on your back is more likely to tamper with your breathing than sleeping on your side.
• Neck size – a thick neck circumference can translate to narrow airways, heightening the risk of sleep apnea.
• Age – older adults suffer sleep apnea more than younger patients.

Is Sleep Apnea a Severe Condition?

While not all cases of sleep apnea in Ohio are severe, some are. Ideally, the longer you go without breathing when asleep, the greater the risk of health complications. Sleep apnea can sometimes be life-threatening since it tremendously limits airflow to vital body organs like the brain and heart. Besides, some health consequences of sleep apnea are alarming, including:

• Migraine headaches – especially in the morning
• Insomnia due to interrupted sleep patterns
• Excessive sleepiness during the day
• Reduces concentration and productivity
• Irritability and severe mood swings
• Cognitive impairment and mental disorders due to chronic sleep deprivation
• Type 2 diabetes – due to factors that poor sleep quality triggers, including insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, and difficulties in managing blood sugar levels.
• Heart-related conditions, like coronary artery disease, heart failure, and irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias)

How to Know You Have Sleep Apnea

The quickest way to learn about your health is by visiting a medical expert for diagnosis. Usually, visiting a dental office in Ohio could uncover much regarding your oral health but also expose any signs of sleep apnea. Some indicators that are common to sleep apnea patients are:

• Loud snoring at night – enough to disrupt sleep for other people.
• Sore throat in the morning
• Interrupted sleep where you repeatedly gasp for air at night
• Frequent awakenings at night
• Waking up very thirsty in the morning
• Headaches reserved in the morning right after waking up
• Choking or gasping sensations when you sleep

Tips for Managing Sleep Apnea at Home

Before considering any tips to better your sleep apnea, understand that they work best after a proper diagnosis by a sleep doctor or a dentist near you. Only then can you ascertain your sleep apnea and confirm the severity of the condition. Afterward, the dentist will recommend a few strategies to manage your disorder at home:

• Correct your posture – sleep on your side instead of your back. You may also need to incorporate more pillows to elevate your upper body and support better breathing.
• Establish a consistent sleep routine – the goal is to regulate your body’s internal clock to promote a healthy sleep pattern.
• Clear nasal passages – get a prescription or recommendation from our medical team at daily DENTAL & bracesbar about nasal saline sprays, nasal strips, or humidifiers. These resources will allow better airflow by alleviating any congestion in your nose.
• Lose weight by adopting a balanced diet and exercising frequently.
• Avoid alcohol and sedatives – they relax your muscles, which can affect the throat muscles enough to obstruct the airways.
• Mind your sleep environment – a lot goes into creating a conducive environment for sleeping. Avoid stimulants like caffeine before bedtime while limiting screen time right before sleeping. Such matters can affect your brain’s ability to rest, lowering sleep quality.
• Use prescribed appliances – if you have seen a dentist or sleep doctor about your problem, you must have a specific prescription. Dentists recommend continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy for many patients. It helps deliver a constant airflow to your body while you sleep, overcoming sleep apnea.