Natural Sleep Apnea Cures

By: Ali Teague

Break Studios Contributing Writer

Natural sleep apnea cures can help you breathe easier at night. Sleep apnea causes abnormal pauses in your breathing while you snooze. Since this condition only happens during sleep, you may never know you have it until a loved-one complains about you disrupting their slumber with your loud snoring, choking or gasping sounds at night.

Other things that may signal sleep apnea include waking up with a dry mouth, morning headaches, forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating, insomnia and depression. If you’re sick of waking up tired, groggy and grumpy, these natural sleep apnea cures can help.

  1. Shed a few pounds. Being overweight can cause fat deposits in the mouth and obstruct your breathing when you lie down. If you are heavy, dropping a little weight can open your airway and serve as a natural sleep apnea cure.
  2. Forget about the nightcap and don’t smoke or hang in areas where people light up. Alcohol relaxes air passage muscles and increases your risk of airway obstruction while you sleep. The chemicals and smoke in cigarettes can irritate the respiratory system and cause congestion. These factors can increase the likelihood of interrupted breathing during sleep.
  3. Snooze on your side instead of on your back. One of the simplest natural sleep apnea cures is to stay off your back. Airway obstruction is more likely to occur when you sleep flat on your back. To prevent sleeping on your back at night, sew a tennis ball in a sock and attach it to the back of your pajamas. If you roll over on your back while you’re asleep, the ball will cause discomfort and  you’ll likely turn back over on your side.

If sleep apnea is left unchecked, it can hinder your ability to get a good night’s rest. Natural sleep apnea cures such as losing weight, canning cigarettes, sleeping on your side and eliminating bedtime booze can help keep your airway open so you can rest better.

Posted on: Mar. 28, 2011