Have you ever experienced sleeping wherein your breathing repeatedly stops and starts throughout the night? It’s a condition called sleep apnea, a common but serious sleep disorder. Left untreated, it can cause major health problems like high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.

If your primary care doctor recently diagnosed you with it, what steps are you taking to manage it?

In this blog, we’ll explore this condition, explaining the available treatment options and lifestyle changes you can make to help manage symptoms and improve your quality of life. 

What is Sleep Apnea?

About 39 million U.S. adults have sleep apnea. But what is this condition?

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. These pauses in breathing can last from a few seconds to a minute. This condition disrupts restful sleep and lowers oxygen levels in the blood. 

As a result, sleep apnea impacts the quality of your rest and can significantly affect your overall health. There are two main types of this disorder.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)

Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common form of sleep apnea, and it’s caused by a physical blockage of the airway. When the muscles in the back of your throat relax during sleep, your airway can become partially or completely blocked, restricting airflow. 

If you have OSA, you will often snore loudly. You may also experience gasping or choking during the night as your body works to reopen the airway.

Central Sleep Apnea (CSA)

Central sleep apnea (CSA) is less common and occurs when the brain doesn’t send the correct signals to control breathing. Unlike OSA, CSA is not caused by a physical blockage but by a failure in the communication between the brain and the muscles that control breathing. 

If you have CSA, you may not snore as much, but you can still experience disrupted sleep due to these interruptions in breathing.

Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

How do you know if you have this condition? Here are common symptoms: 

• Loud snoring
• Gasping for air during sleep
• Waking up feeling tired
• Daytime fatigue
• Morning headaches
• Difficulty concentrating

Over time, untreated sleep apnea can affect not only your physical health but also your mental health. It’s common for individuals to experience mood changes, irritability, and even symptoms of depression or anxiety due to the ongoing disruption in rest and lack of quality sleep.

Seeking Professional Help

If you suspect you have sleep apnea, it’s crucial to find a doctor who can confirm the diagnosis and guide you through the best treatment options. 

While the symptoms might seem manageable at first, untreated sleep apnea can lead to serious health complications. Your doctor may recommend a sleep study to monitor your breathing patterns and determine the severity of your condition. 

Once diagnosed, they’ll help you find the proper treatment tailored to your needs. 

Depending on the type and severity of your sleep apnea, your doctor may suggest various treatment options. Here are the most common:

CPAP Machine (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure)

The most widely used and effective treatment for sleep apnea is the CPAP machine. 

It works by delivering a steady stream of air pressure through a mask you wear while sleeping. This keeps your airways open, preventing pauses in breathing and ensuring a consistent oxygen flow throughout the night. 

While adjusting to a CPAP machine may take some time, it’s highly effective at reducing symptoms and improving sleep quality.

Oral Appliances

Oral appliances can be a less invasive alternative if you have mild to moderate sleep apnea. These custom-fit devices (often recommended by dentists trained in sleep medicine) help reposition your jaw and tongue to keep your airway open during sleep. 

Oral appliances are portable and quieter than CPAP machines, making them a convenient option for many.

Surgery

In some cases, surgery may be necessary, particularly if physical obstructions contribute to your condition. Surgical procedures can range from removing excess tissue from the throat to correcting structural issues in the nose or jaw. 

Healthcare experts typically recommend surgery when other treatments haven’t worked.

Lifestyle Changes to Help Manage Sleep Apnea

Medical treatments play a crucial role in managing your sleep apnea. However, you can make certain lifestyle changes to help reduce symptoms. Here are some of them.

Manage Your Weight

Carrying excess weight, particularly around the neck, can increase your risk of airway obstruction during sleep. This can further worsen sleep apnea symptoms. 

Studies have shown that losing even a small amount of weight can reduce the severity of sleep apnea. So, working with your primary care provider to develop a healthy eating and exercise plan can be crucial in managing your weight and sleep apnea.

Be Mindful of Your Sleep Position

The position in which you sleep can have a major impact on your sleep apnea symptoms. 

Sleeping on your back often causes the tongue and soft tissues to collapse toward the back of the throat, worsening airway obstruction. 

To prevent this, try sleeping on your side, which can help keep your airway more open and reduce the frequency of breathing interruptions.

Avoid Alcohol and Sedatives

Alcohol and sedative medications relax the muscles in the throat, which can make sleep apnea worse by increasing the likelihood of airway collapse. To manage your symptoms, it’s best to avoid alcohol and sedatives, especially in the hours leading up to bedtime.

Quit Smoking

Smoking irritates and inflames the airway, leading to swelling and increased mucus production, both of which can contribute to breathing difficulties during sleep. Quitting smoking not only improves respiratory health but can also reduce the severity of sleep apnea symptoms over time.

Conclusion

Sleep apnea is indeed a serious sleep disorder, but it’s treatable. Managing it requires a combination of the right treatments and healthy lifestyle changes. 

Key steps include consulting a doctor for proper diagnosis, exploring treatment options like CPAP machines or oral appliances, and making adjustments such as sleeping on your side, losing weight, and avoiding smoking or alcohol before bed. These changes can help you regain restful sleep and improve your overall health.

Ready to take control of your sleep apnea? At RR Wellness Clinic, an innovative health clinic dedicated to your well-being, our team can help you find the right solutions for better sleep and a healthier life. Get in touch and book a consultation today.