7 Tips to Manage Sleep Apnea

Ruth was growing concerned. Over the past several weeks, she noticed her husband Carl stopped breathing at night for 10-20 seconds. After the lapse, Carl would then start breathing again, and snore louder than usual. One morning after a particularly bad night, Ruth did a quick internet search. She recognized the symptoms as potentially sleep apnea. Carl had some other symptoms as well–he’d been complaining more about tiredness during the day and had been more irritable than usual. Ruth grew overwhelmed searching for the potentially long-lasting impacts of this condition – and asked Carl to go to his doctor right away.

What is sleep apnea?

According to the Mayo Clinic, sleep apnea is a disorder during sleep when an individual’s breathing stops and starts repeatedly. There are a few different types of sleep apnea – obstructive sleep apnea, central sleep apnea, and complex sleep apnea (a combination of the two.) The most common form is obstructive sleep apnea, which occurs when throat muscles relax and the airflow to the lungs is blocked.

Recognize the signs and symptoms

The Public Health Agency of Canada describes the signs and symptoms of sleep apnea as:

• Feeling tired after a long sleep
• Headaches in the morning
• Snoring loudly
• Daytime fatigue
• Insomnia
• Waking up with a dry mouth
• Difficulty paying attention during the day
• Quick-tempered, moodiness or depression – caused by lack of good sleep
• Heart problems or high blood pressure – caused by blood oxygen levels suddenly dropping strain on the cardiovascular system
  
  

Sleep apnea is usually diagnosed by medical professionals after undergoing a sleep study overnight.

Understand how sleep apnea can impact your health

Sleep apnea, if not treated by lifestyle changes and medical devices, can sometimes lead to serious and life-threatening health problems. Since the blood flow is obstructed to the heart during sleep, heart-related risks are serious and include high blood pressure, strokes, and heart attacks. Other potentially serious health conditions impacted by sleep apnea include increased complications with surgery and medicine, especially when sedated or lying on the back due to abnormal oxygen flow. Sleep apnea also increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.

Families of people with sleep apnea can be impacted as well. Many partners of individuals with sleep apnea report that loud snoring prevents them from getting good rest, which can increase tension in the household and impact the family’s mental health.

Learn about the medical treatments for sleep apnea

There are a number of medical treatments for sleep apnea. The most common is a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine. The machine includes a mask that keeps the throat open and stops snoring and pauses in breathing. There are also an array of mouth guards available, as well as devices that are placed in the nostrils to help expand airways. Depending on the severity of sleep apnea, however, lifestyle changes can sometimes drastically improve the situation. Here are a few tips to manage sleep apnea without devices:

Avoid alcohol, drugs, and sleeping pills

When throat muscles are more relaxed than normal due to alcohol and some medications, sleep apnea is more likely to be worse. Airways can get blocked, and alcohol and drugs can make it harder for the brain to wake up and understand that there’s less oxygen than usual in the body. It can cause longer and more serious pauses in breathing. If it is difficult to relax at night without alcohol or drugs, consider trying relaxing practices like yoga, meditation, drinking herbal tea, taking hot baths, soaking your feet in Epsom salts, and reading at night.

Maintain the best sleep positions

According to a 2022 article in US News and World Report, It’s best to avoid sleeping on your back if you have sleep apnea, due to gravity and the increased opportunity for a person’s tongue to block the airway. Sleeping on your side or belly can lessen or even eliminate snoring and sleep apnea in some cases. It might be necessary to get a new pillow – particularly for sleeping on the stomach so as to not strain the head and neck. Some pillows are particularly marketed to help individuals with sleep apnea, as well. If you have to sleep on your back and have sleep apnea, consider how to elevate your head to reduce symptoms.

Get physically fit & eat well

Carrying excess weight is a risk factor for sleep apnea. For individuals who are overweight, losing even 10% of their total weight can significantly decrease the number of sleep apnea episodes that happen each night. Exercising to lose weight will also double as a great way to contribute to healthy sleep. It’s best to exercise early in the day and not too close to bedtime – as that may actually make sleeping more difficult!

Maintain healthy sleep routines

It’s important to have a regular sleep schedule – going to bed at about the same time every day and waking up at the same time. It’s vital to experience a full night’s sleep cycle of deep and lighter stages of sleep to be well-rested. Being better rested helps to prevent overtiredness, which makes sleep apnea more acute.

One month after Ruth’s initial observation of Carl’s sleep disturbances, Carl took part in a sleep study recommended by his doctor. He slept overnight at a medical facility, where his breathing and heart rate were monitored. The results of the study showed that Carl had a mild case of sleep apnea. It made sense he’d developed the condition recently – his job had gotten particularly stressful, which caused Carl to gain weight, and drink more alcohol at night. The new sleep apnea condition was an important wake-up call. Carl decided to forgo drinking and explore healthy ways to deal with his stress. In a few months, Ruth was complaining less about being awoken by his snoring, and Carl was feeling better.