Understand Which Sleep Apnea Treatment Works Best for You
Sleep apnea is a familiar ailment that causes you to stop breathing for brief periods when sleeping. If you are affected by sleep apnea, you don’t take in sufficient oxygen when sleeping, which causes you to gasp and wake up repeatedly.
You may not be aware of your problem, thinking your sleep cycle is regular. However, snoring is an irritating symptom of sleep apnea which could wake up your bed partner. Your loud snoring can keep your bed partner awake and irritated, causing unwanted disputes between you two.
If your bed partner reports about your loud snoring, it is time for you to get yourself evaluated for sleep apnea from the dentist in Philadelphia, PA, to receive treatment for the condition, which causes several health complications.
What Health Complications Can Sleep Apnea Cause?
Sleep apnea can leave behind multiple health complications besides giving you exhausted during the day. If left untreated, sleep apnea can trigger mental health issues, contribute to memory loss, lead to poor immune function, and increase your risk of heart failure.
Treatments available for sleep apnea are expensive and often inaccessible for most. However, you can make some lifestyle changes to improve your quality of life and sleep. Let us look at some sleep apnea treatments you can try from the comfort of your home.
Lifestyle Remedies for Sleep Apnea
When you seek sleep apnea treatment in Philadelphia, PA, you will likely receive a recommendation to lose weight if you are obese. Upper body obesity increases the risk of airway obstruction. These obstructions cause interruptions in your breathing repeatedly during the night, waking you up without leaving any memory of the same. Maintaining a healthy weight helps clear your airways to reduce sleep apnea symptoms.
Altering Your Sleep Position
Making small changes to your sleep position also works as a treatment for sleep apnea. The condition of sleep apnea is dependent on position, and sleeping on your back can worsen your symptoms. You may find it better to sleep on your sides instead of your back, helping your breathing return to normal. However, sleeping on the back does not help children who may also have sleep apnea.
Using A Humidifier
Sleep apnea treatment near you recommend using a humidifier to add moisture to the air. The body’s respiratory system can become irritated by dry air. Having a humidifier helps open your airways, decrease congestion and encourage clear breathing.
Avoid Alcohol and Smoking
Lifestyle changes improve your health and encourage better sleeping habits. Consider quitting smoking and alcohol if you are indulging in these habits. Alcohol relaxes throat muscles controlling your breathing. Alcohol leads to snoring and your interrupted sleep cycle. Your airways can become inflamed, blocking your airflow.
Similarly, tobacco contributes to inflammation and swelling of the airways to worsen your snoring and sleep apnea. Studies conducted some time ago identified smoking as a risk factor for developing sleep apnea. Therefore if you prepare yourself to quit smoking, you may have a sleep apnea treatment available at home.
Using Dental Appliances
Alternatively, you can contact the dentist near you for a dental appliance developed for sleep apnea by dentists that help to keep your airway open while you sleep.
Dentists have developed two major categories of oral appliances. They are mandibular elevation devices and tongue-sustaining devices. Both devices work by moving your jaw or tongue in a forward position to decrease obstruction in the back of your throat. Oral appliances developed by dentists are similar to mouthguards and may encourage you to search for over-the-counter devices from drugstores or other supermarkets. However, the best option for you is to have a device customized by a dentist specifically for your mouth.
Oral appliances for sleep apnea are supported by the American Academy of dental sleep medicine as an effective remedy for sleep apnea.
Many people affected by sleep apnea cannot adhere to the conventional CPAP device requiring them to wear a mask over their nose throughout the night. Oral appliances customized by dentists are comfortable to wear, affordable, and portable, making them a better option for patients looking for a conservative method to deal with sleep apnea.
The treatments spoken about in this blog and lifestyle changes help reduce sleep apnea symptoms. However, if you are affected by this condition must have yourself evaluated by a sleep medicine specialist who may recommend traditional treatments. You need to discuss your situation with your doctor before pursuing any remedy mentioned in this blog.