Self Help Sleep Apnea Treatment

If you or your loved one suffers from sleep apnea, there maybe something that can be done. Sleep apnea treatments can be very diverse and need to be structured to the kind of sleep apnea one is affected with.
If you have been told that you have periods of silence, with no breathing, throughout the night and feel drowsy during the day you maybe suffering from sleep apnea.
Prior to seeing your primary care physician you may want to do a few things that will help him decide if this is actually what you have. One of the first things you can do is record yourself during sleep. This will give your doctor and yourself an idea of what is going on at night.
Another helpful idea is to have your sleep partner keep a diary of your loud snoring, how well your sleeping, gasping and choking and your apneic spells.

Take this recording and diary with you to your doctor visit. This will assist him/ her in diagnosing your problem. If your physician does suspect sleep apnea he /she may send you for a sleep study. This is an over night study done in a clinic while you sleep. They will monitor everything that goes on during your night. In this way, you will get a diagnosis and can begin sleep apnea treatments. Treatment needs to be directed toward the kind of sleep apnea one suffers from. There are two kinds. The least common being Central Sleep Apnea. This is usually due to an injury or disease and directly affects the brain stem. This is the area of the brain that controls breathing. The treatment for this kind of sleep apnea is through medication that stimulates breathing and oxygen.

The most common kind of sleep apnea is Obstructive Sleep Apnea and can be treated in a variety of ways, including self help. This type of sleep apnea restricts or stops the airflow from the mouth and nose into the lungs. It is usually due to the structures in the neck preventing air flow. Sleep apnea treatments for this type can begin with loosing weight, if this is the concern. Even the loss of only ten percent of your weight can help improve your sleep quality.

Other self help ideas that may lead to better sleep are to discontinue the use of alcohol, tobacco, sedatives or any other substance that may lead to overly relaxed neck and tongue muscles. Other great sleep apnea treatments maybe to sleep on your side, this prevents structures of the neck, jaw and tongue to fall into the airway opening. There are special pillows available to help keep you positioned on your side during sleep. If these ideas fail, you must see your physician for medical intervention. There are a number of ways that the medical community can help you rest better at night.