Snoring and Sleep Apnea Solutions

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If you have not been tested and think you have Sleep Apnea, please get tested. You can always call us at 1-800-752-3000

If you have mild to moderate OSA, simple lifestyle changes can help you manage the symptoms of the disorder. Everyday changes such as avoiding caffeine before bedtime and or changing the position you sleep in can help reduce or eliminate sleep apnea. Some of these lifestyle changes include:

Weight loss and exercise

Since obesity and OSA go hand in hand, weight loss may be the solution for your sleep disorder. Always check with your doctor before attempting any weight loss program. He or she can prescribe the best plan of action that is effective for your body type.

Your plan should combine a healthy diet along with exercise, along with a maintenance plan to ensure you stay at a healthy weight, or else OSA may return.

Treat nasal allergies

If you have allergies, your nasal passages may be swollen or blocked causing you to snore. Discuss any nasal irritation with your doctor, so they can prescribe the right allergy medication for you. Avoid treating allergies with over-the-counter medications. OTCs can have an adverse effect on OSA, which can be life threatening.

Positional therapy

Sleeping on your back – or as doctors refer to it, the supine position – worsens OSA by pushing the obstruction even farther in the back of your throat. Something as simple as changing the position you sleep in can make a world of difference for people with OSA.

Pillows designed to help you sleep on your side, or pinning a sock full of tennis balls to the inside of your pajama shirt will help keep you from sleeping on your back.

Steer clear of alcohol and other sedatives

While most people believe a few glasses on wine or a sleeping pill will help them get to sleep faster, the truth is, for people with OSA it can mean that their body may take longer to respond when they stop breathing in their sleep.

Alcohol and sedatives cause your muscles to relax more than usual, which can be a lethal combination for a person with OSA. Your doctor may have to modify your prescription if you are taking muscle relaxants, sleeping pills, anxiety medications and pain medications so that it doesn’t worsen the symptoms of OSA.

You should avoid drinking alcohol at least four hours before bedtime.

Quit smoking

Kicking the habit can help you sleep better. Research shows that smoking makes OSA worse. Talk to your doctor about how you can quit smoking so you can finally get a restful sleep.

Preparing for Bedtime

These tips can help prevent snoring and apnea during the course of the night and alleviate some symptoms. If you have severe sleep apnea, these will only improve your symptoms minimally and you should seek treatment, or continue the course of treatment you are already on.

Sleep on Your Side – Sleeping on your back allows soft tissues and tongue to drop back and block the airway. If you sleep on your side, gravity will not push these tissues back.

Tennis Ball Trick – Attach a tennis ball to the back of your pajamas to prevent rolling onto the back in your sleep. Another option is placing something uncomfortable behind your back to prevent rolling.

Prop Up Your Head – Use a foam wedge or cervical pillow to lift the head four to six inches above the rest of the body. This prevents your tongue from sliding back in the throat and blocking the airway.

Open Nasal Passages – Use nasal strip, saline spray or nasal dilator to keep nasal airways open at night. This allows more air to enter the system during sleep.

Throat Exercises for Reducing Sleep Apnea

Studies have shown that throat exercises if practiced regularly and correctly can have an effect on reducing sleep apnea. If you are currently using a device to alleviate your sleep apnea, do not stop using it and if you are not currently undergoing a course of treatment for your sleep apnea, you should seek professional medical help as soon as possible to begin treatment.

1. Press length of the tongue flat against the roof of the mouth and hold. Do this for three minutes per day.

2. Press tongue against the floor of the mouth and brush the top and sides with a toothbrush, 5 strokes for each area, 3 times a day.

3. Put a finger into one side of the mouth and pull the cheek muscle. Do this 10 items per side and repeat the sequence 3 times.

4. Make a kiss with lips then move up and to the left 10 times, then up and to the right 10 times.

5. Take deep breaths through the nose and inflate a balloon as much as you can. Do this 5 times without taking the balloon out of your mouth.

6. Some doctors suggest taking up the Didgeridoo, instrument of the Australian outback, to help strengthen the throat muscles.

Good Sleep Hygiene

It’s 4 a.m. and you’ve been staring at the clock now for the past three hours, trying to get to sleep. You’ve tossed and turned trying hard to relax but sleep just won’t come. Maybe it was that espresso you had after dinner or you’re thinking about that big meeting with your boss tomorrow. Maybe it’s the person snoring next to you. Whatever the case may be, here are some tips that can help you get a good night’s sleep.

Maintain a regular bedtime routine

Maintaining a bedtime routine may sound like something you did as a child, but designating “jammie time” is still applicable as an adult. Establishing a routine, such as drinking chamomile tea, taking a warm bath and reading a book are subtle cues to let your body know it’s time for bed. Creating a bedtime routine will eventually develop into a habit that will help your body relax.

Limit daytime naps

If you find yourself sleepy during the day and you need to take a nap, be sure to limit the nap to less than an hour. If necessary, naps should be taken before 3 p.m.

Avoid alcohol, caffeine and nicotine late in the day

Caffeine and nicotine, even if you use them in the late afternoon, can still keep you up late at night. Alcohol, while it is a sedative and can promote drowsiness, can result in fragmented sleep and make you wake up far earlier than you want to.

Don’t toss and turn

Most people force themselves to sleep, thinking that eventually they will get tired. That only makes things worse, and can create more anxiety making it even harder to fall asleep. If you are having trouble sleeping after 30 minutes, get up and do something non-stimulating, like reading or listening to music.

Create a sleep-worthy environment

A cool, dark room promotes sleepiness. Try to keep your room as quiet and dark as possible. If noise is an issue, try white noise machines or sleeping with earplugs. Also, avoid bright light close to bedtime, it can interfere with the melatonin production in your body, a natural process that occurs that lets you know when to sleep. Bright light inhibits the hormone from being released, keeping you up later.

Only use your bed for sleeping

A bed should be used for sleep. It is not a kitchen table or a workstation. Cell phones, PDAs and other devices should be kept elsewhere. Train your brain to associate a bed with sleep, not work or food.

Let go of stress

This is easier said than done, but letting go of stress helps you sleep at night. Understand that at certain hours of the day, many problems cannot be solved and everyone has to sleep sometime. Journaling or planning your schedule for the next day can help you avoid thinking of those things while you are trying to sleep. Night is a time for rest and relaxation, not worrying about the days ahead.

Avoid meals and exercise late at night

Eating late at night can keep you tossing and turning while you’re sleeping. Your body has to work harder to digest the food and burn the calories. The same goes for exercising late at night, since it gives you even more energy. Regular exercise earlier in the day, however, does help you sleep better and more soundly at night.

This is educational information, not medical advice. Please check with your medical doctor for individual guidance and advice for your own situation.

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