“No breath” is the literal definition of the word “apnea”. Thus, the disorder called sleep apnea is characterized by the stopping or pausing of breath while the person is sleeping. Sleep apnea is not something you can deal with lightly. In fact, in cases when the pauses between breathing becomes longer, fatal consequences could be expected. When the pauses of about 10 to 40 seconds happen about 20 to 30 times within an hour, then it is time to be really worried. If sleep apnea is left untreated, worse situations may follow such as heart failure, stroke or hypertension.
Types of Sleep Apnea
When people speak of sleep apnea, what they really mean is the obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). There are two other kinds however, the central sleep apnea and the combination of the obstructive and central types. OSA is the most common type and happens when air is blocked and is not able to enter the lungs. This may be the result of too much weight and of problems in the tonsils and the jaw anatomy. Snoring is one strong symptom of OSA.
The central sleep apnea, on the other hand, happens when the brain fails to send the proper signals needed by the muscles that controls breathing.
The third and more complex type is the combination of the first two apneas.
Natural Treatments for Sleep Apnea
If regular breathing is restored when sleeping and when daytime sleepiness and snoring have been prevented from happening, then it can be said that OSA is gone. Otherwise, there is an immediate need to treat this disorder. The problem is, there is really no known medicine that can cure sleep apnea. Common treatments would be the wearing of oral devices and mouthpieces or surgeries. Many prefer not to make use of them.
The good news is, there are natural treatments for sleep apnea and some of them can also prevent heart problems. It basically boils down to having a healthy lifestyle. The natural treatments for sleep apnea that should be on top of your list would be to quit smoking if you smoke and to lose weight if you are overweight. Likewise, avoiding alcohol and sleeping pills intake can also relieve you of OSA. The constant changes in your sleeping position could also help individuals get relief or avoid sleep apnea.
Other natural treatments for sleep apnea would be by tying a ball of socks across your waist when you sleep to force you to change your position every now and then, by using a humidifier, by raising your pillow or the head of the bed, by sleeping on your side, by making sure that you have a stabilized blood sugar, by keeping a regular time for sleeping, by not eating or drinking booze before sleeping, by making sure that you have a low blood pressure and by keeping your sinuses clear.
If you will only have enough discipline in your body to practice a healthy lifestyle, then you will not suffer the adverse results sleep apnea can give.
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