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| Sleep Apnea Treatments and Remedies | What are the treatments for sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea responds well to treatment. Consider your specific sleep apnea characteristics determine which treatment will work best for you.
These treatments include:
• Behavioral treatments for sleep apnea (self-help)
• Physical or mechanical therapy or treatment for sleep apnea, including surgery
Medication is not usually an effective treatment for sleep apnea.
You may wish to try several treatments, either in succession or simultaneously.
What self-help remedies are there for sleep apnea?
Minor sleep apnea is responsive to self-help remedies, or “behavioral treatments.”
Some of the following self-help treatments for sleep apnea may work for you.
Self-Help (Behavioral Treatments) for Sleep Apnea
Lose weight
One of the most significant remedies for sleep apnea is weight loss. Individuals with overweight who lose even 10% of their weight can reduce sleep apnea during the night and dramatically improve the quality of their sleep.
Eliminate the use of alcohol, tobacco, and sedatives such as sleeping pills
Avoiding the use of alcohol, tobacco, and sleeping pills can reduce the likelihood of airway closure during the night.
Sleep on your side
People who experience sleep apnea only when they sleep on their backs can benefit from special pillows or folk remedies that encourage side-sleeping, such as the tennis ball trick (see).
Regularize your sleep hours
Irregular sleep hours can throw off your sleep cycles and lead to breathing problems during the most important sleep stages. If you stabilize bedtime hours and eliminate disturbances to your sleep, it can reduce sleep apnea.
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