How to Naturally Treat Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea refers to an interruption in a person's breathing while they are sleeping. It is usually caused when the tissue at the back of the throat closes, causing a person to stop breathing. This can happen many times a night. If left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to more serious issues, but there are several natural ways to treat it before turning to more drastic measures. In any case, see your physician if you believe you may be suffering with this potentially life-threatening condition.
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Instructions
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Change your sleeping position. Lying on your back tends to cause more problems than sleeping on your stomach or, ideally, on your side.
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Elevate your head while sleeping. Use pillows or a bed wedge to make it less likely that your air passages will close due to gravity.
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Quit drinking alcohol, smoking and sleeping pills. These habits are known to be contributing factors to sleep apnea, and their elimination has been seen to be beneficial. Without these substances, the muscles are better able to relax, settle and close properly.
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Lose weight if you are overweight. Weight loss has been known to cure sleep apnea in some cases because of the physical changes that can result in the airway no longer being physically blocked while lying down.
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Exercise regularly. Regular exercise not only can help alleviate sleep apnea, but also can help improve sleep quality and health in general.
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Tips & Warnings
No matter the condition, it really is hard to go wrong with maintaining an ideal weight, exercising regularly, and eating right.
Medications can be a major contributing factor to apnea, but discontinue prescription medications only with a doctor's supervision.
Decongestants may be helpful, but should only be taken for a limited amount of time.
References
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