Sleep apnea has become a prevalent life-threatening disease. It is a condition whereby the patient breaths repeatedly for short periods when sleeping. Ideally, the victim gasps more in search of oxygen, which results in snoring, tiredness, and other adverse effects when sleeping. Prolonged sleep apnea can cause memory loss, mental health problems, heart failure, and other conditions.
This guide will discuss more on sleep apnea, why people suffer it, and the possible remedies. Keep reading.
Causes of Sleep Apnea
There are three main types of sleep apnea: obstructive, central, and complex. The obstructive apnea is the most popular one, and it happens due to the relaxation of the throat muscles. The central apnea comes from the brain. It occurs when the brain fails to signal the body muscles well, interferes with the breathing.
The complex apnea happens when the victim suffers from both the obstructive and the central types of apnea. Each type has specific causes, but there are general causes:
- Obesity/Excess Weight – Excessive weight is the primary cause of obstructive sleep apnea in most adults. When the person sleeps, the throat and soft mouth tissues relax and block the airway. The blocked air path now causes shortness of breath, making it impossible to sleep comfortably for an extended period.
- Genetics – In addition to obesity, some people may suffer from sleep apnea due to hereditary reasons. For instance, you might have been born with a narrow throat or neck, meaning that your air path is quite narrow.
- Medical Conditions – People suffering from hypothyroidism and deviated septum often experience the symptoms of sleep apnea. This is because the diseases cause congestion in the air path, and thus, cause sleep apnea.
- Excessive Use of Alcohol – Several studies show that excessive consumption of alcohol and hard drugs can cause sleep apnea.
Remedies
You can maintain the sleep apnea condition in many ways. Here are the common effective treatments:
- Lifestyle Remedies – Lifestyle treatments are the changes that you can make your daily activities. Here are the leading lifestyle solutions:
- Lose Weight – As earlier mentioned, obesity is the leading cause of sleep apnea. Too much weight, mainly in the upper parts of the body, causes many obstructions to the air paths. Weight loss can help you minimize your chances of suffering from these diseases.
- Exercise – Exercise maintains your body energy level and regulates the flow of air in the body. Yoga is the best exercise activity for people with sleep apnea.
- Change Your Sleeping Positions – Some people only experience the effects of sleep apnea when they sleep on a specific body position. In these cases, they can change their sleeping position to sleep better.
- Avoid Alcohol – Too much alcohol can comfortably relax the throat muscles. Less alcohol consumption can, therefore, help the victim to lessen the effects of sleep apnea.
Therapy
Several therapies can help sleep apnea patients to alleviate the signs of symptoms of the condition. The most effective therapy involves the use of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) at night or when sleeping. The mouthpiece keeps your air paths open when you are asleep, minimizing your chances of suffering from sleep apnea. There are many therapy mouth guards, and you may view these choices when choosing the most effective therapy guard to use. The different guards vary in size, material, and the way of functioning, although they all regulate the flow of air in the throat. Your doctor should carefully examine your throat and recommend the best mouth guard therapy for you, depending on your age and current condition. Also, your doctor should carefully review you to know how effective the treatment works for you.
Surgery
Surgery is the last treatment option if all the other remedies fail. Before the surgery, you should have at least tried the other solutions for at least three months. However, the operation can still be your first remedy, mainly if you have problems with your jaw or other parts of your mouth or throat. The main surgical processes include:
- Tissue Removal – The procedure involves removing the throat tissues, which causes snoring and throat vibration.
- Tissue Shrinking – Involves shrinking the big muscles which block the air passage.
- Implants – Surgeons might place some implants on the throat to prevent the muscles from excessive relaxing.
Sleep apnea affects many people, although most of them don’t know they are victims. People with excess weight are more vulnerable, although anyone can suffer from the condition. If you experience snoring, headaches, dizziness, and other adverse symptoms when sleeping, seek medical help immediately for a comprehensive examination. Your doctor will recommend the ideal treatment method.
