Natural Treatment To Fight Sleep Apnea

This is a disorder that affects the normal functioning of breathing while we sleep. Men are generally more affected by this problem.

This disorder, which manifests itself during sleep, is considered “serious” because it stops the flow of oxygen which goes to different parts of the body when it is resting.

It is caused by various causes and the most typical symptoms are pauses in breathing, snoring, asphyxiation, drowsiness, among others.

Discover all the information and all the natural treatments to cure sleep apnea in this article!

Sleep apnea: what is it?

It is a disorder that affects the normal functioning of breathing when we sleep. It can cause shallow breathing or short pauses in the normal flow of air, which last between 15 and 20 seconds.

Sleep apnea prevents us from sleeping peacefully at night and this can lead to lighter sleep, nightmares or lack of full body restoration, which leads to low energy, lower productivity, poor mood, irritability and reduced mental awareness.

If left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to daytime sleepiness, slow reflexes and increased risk of accidents.

Likewise, it can cause health problems like obesity, hypertension, diabetes or heart disease.

Symptoms of sleep apnea can be difficult to identify since they occur during the night when we are sleeping.
A close relative or spouse are the people who detect changes in the sleep of the person next to them.

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Some of the signs that show that you are suffering from this problem are:

Pauses in breathing.
Very loud snoring.
Asphyxiation or gasping.
Daytime sleepiness.
Restless sleep.
A feeling of lack of air when waking up during the night.
Go to the bathroom frequently at night.
Waking up with a dry mouth and throat.
Have headaches in the morning.
An inability to concentrate at work.
Mood changes.
Irritability.
Depression.
Putting yourself in strange positions when you sleep.
Sweating excessively at night.
Suffering from nightmares.
Breathe through your mouth.
Low overall efficiency.

Some risk factors that can stimulate the onset of sleep apnea are: smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, obesity, enlargement of the tonsils or tongue, obstruction of the nasal passage and family history.

In addition, you should know that men generally suffer from this problem more than women.

Habits, remedies and tips for treating sleep apnea

Regarding the best postures to adopt during the night to avoid this problem, there are two of them …

Sleeping on your side

Sleeping on your side (it doesn’t matter whether it is your right or left side) helps encourage air to enter the lungs. Quite the opposite happens when we sleep on our stomachs or on our backs.

It is clear that when we sleep we cannot realize the positions we take. However, a good way to be sure is to use a large pillow or sleep against a wall.

Another trick is to sew or tie an awkward object on his pajamas, at the level of the back and the chest in order to prevent us from turning.
This will hamper us and we will resume a correct position.

Sleep with your head elevated

Use more than one pillow to lift your head above what you’re used to. It will improve your breathing overnight. If you feel that it is not very convenient, you can add height little by little.

You can also elevate the chest a little, in addition to the head. If you intend to buy a new bed, choose one, for example, which optionally can be raised.

Or, place an object under the front legs of the bed so that it is slightly raised. Many people claim that this technique is much more effective than using multiple pillows.

In connection with the tips or tricks to eliminate sleep apnea, we must now mention the following things.

Losing weight

Being overweight and obese make symptoms worse. Start eating a healthier diet, exercise at least twice a week, eat fruits and vegetables, stop fried foods, sugars and fats, and drink two liters of water a day.

Even slight thinning will significantly improve symptoms because it will open up your airways.

Stop smoking

Smoking is another of the aggravating factors of sleep apnea. Smoking accumulates fluids in the throat and this can cause inflammation of the upper respiratory tract.

In addition, quitting smoking will provide you with many general health benefits.

Avoid consuming alcohol

Alcoholic beverages, like sedatives, have the ability to relax throat muscles, impairing their function.

It is also advisable not to drink too much caffeine during the day and especially from the end of the afternoon as this interferes with the normal rhythm of sleep.

Don’t eat too much

Going to bed right after a heavy meal can interfere with rest, in addition to affecting the process of getting air into the lungs.

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Natural remedies for sleep apnea

Valerian

This herb has been used for many years to help you sleep better and relax.
It therefore improves the quality of sleep, and it is perfect for people who suffer from insomnia or nightmares due to sleep apnea.

Essential oils

The most recommended for successfully falling asleep are chamomile, lavender and evening primrose. The latter relieves inflammation of the respiratory tract.

You can apply it to the temples and give yourself a massage or use it in a diffuser. If you want to relieve nasal congestion, the best option is eucalyptus essential oil.
Add a few drops to a container full of boiling water and inhale the vapors.