If you have often been rudely awoken in the dead of night by your loved one’s loud, disturbing snores, the chances are that they are suffering from sleep apnoea.

People diagnosed with sleep apnoea often have difficulty sleeping. This is because the tongue and the soft tissues in the mouth roll back against the throat, blocking the air passage during sleep. Subsequently, there is a fall in oxygen levels in the blood, creating an oxygen deficit in the brain. This forces the brain to send wake-up signals to the sleeper, and he wakes with a start several times during a sleep cycle.

Untreated sleep apnoea can have a disastrous effect on your health, causing:

• Hypertension
• Heart ailments
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Strokes
• Compromised immunity
• Mental health conditions and even
• Sudden death

There are mild to severe forms of sleep apnoea. Early clinical intervention can prevent the condition from worsening and leading to accidents.

You can take remedial measures at home to manage sleep apnoea if your problem is mild. Look at the following list of the common home remedies for sleep apnoea.

1. Weight Management

There is a direct correlation between obesity and sleep apnoea. Unhealthy weight gain can increase the severity of sleep apnea. Fat tissues in the throat will obstruct the air passage, complicating sleep apnoea. Hence, it is good to maintain an ideal weight to prevent this obstructive sleep disorder.

2. Lifestyle Changes

You can manage and reduce symptoms of sleep apnoea by making small tweaks to your lifestyle, such as:

• Performing daily yoga and breathing exercises to strengthen upper airway muscles
• Having smaller and healthier meals to keep the weight in check
• Avoiding late and heavy suppers to improve sleep patterns
• Reducing alcohol intake because it relaxes the throat muscles, thus blocking the airway
• Cutting out tobacco and caffeine, which can cause inflammation in the nose and throat and constrict the airflow passage

3. Change Sleep Position

Sleep experts recommend you sleep sideways instead of on your back. That’s because sleeping on the right side increases blood flow, reduces snoring, and encourages restful sleep during the night. Contrary to this, when you sleep on your back, the tongue falls back to block the air passage, resulting in reduced oxygen levels and obstructed sleep. Additionally, try using high pillows to elevate the head while sleeping.

4. Stay Hydrated

Sleep apnoea and loud snoring often go hand in hand. Drinking sufficient water throughout the day and placing a humidifier in your room can help reduce mucous viscosity in the nasal and throat passageways. These measures can ease your breathing and decrease snoring.

5. Oral Appliances

You can use a sleep apnea mouthpiece to adjust the lower jaw, called the mandible, from relaxing and sliding backward during sleep. Repositioning the mandible prevents the soft tissues in the mouth and throat from rolling back and obstructing the air passageway.

6. Try Natural Remedies

Many herbs and natural ingredients have anti-inflammatory properties that reduce swelling and prevent mucous build-up in the membranes. The use of peppermint oil, clarified butter, mint tea, ginger, etc., can help reduce snoring in sleep apnoea.

Incorporate these small changes into your lifestyle to live healthily and sleep better!

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