4 Accessible Options for Treating Your Sleep Apnea Symptoms
July 26, 2017
Sleep apnea is a very common condition that causes pauses in breathing accompanied by heavy snoring. These symptoms may make people wake up several times per hour and lead to disruptive sleep, decreased mental functioning and an increased risk for health complications like heart disease and diabetes. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to reduce the effects of this disorder and maybe even make them disappear.
Maintain a Healthy Weight
One of the reasons people have these bothersome symptoms could be that they are overweight. Deposits of fat in the neck area could cause breathing obstructions and lead to sleep apnea. If your doctor agrees you do not weigh a healthy amount, consider ways that diet and exercise may help bring positive changes.
Change Your Sleeping Position
If you usually sleep on your back, that could be making the problem worse because the position presses your tongue against the back of your throat and could exacerbate snoring. Make a smart adjustment and try sleeping on your side with a pillow that is plump enough to keep your head slightly raised. Otherwise, experiment with sleeping on your stomach.
Use an Anti-Snoring Device
You can also buy a specialized device to wear inside your mouth while sleeping that reduces snoring. Some are designed to conform to the shape of your mouth during an at-home fitting but you can also get custom-made appliances made by a dentist.
Get a Consultation About Oral Surgery
If the all-natural interventions above do not get the desired results, you may want to consult with an experienced oral surgeon. Dr. Andres F. Herrera can evaluate your situation and advise whether a surgery known as maxillomandibular advancement, or MMA, could ease your symptoms.
Millions of people are affected by this common sleep problem and it does not have to disrupt your life or your slumber. Dr. Herrera and his team can assist you once you take the next step and schedule an appointment.