Sleep apnea is diagnosed in people who suffer from air deficit during sleep. Due to constant pauses in breathing for more than 10 seconds, a person wakes up with a migraine, feels very tired and stressed. He does not feel rested even after a long sleep. With sleep apnea, treatment at home is the way to health.
Why is the respiratory act disturbed?
Apnea is a fairly common disease. In adulthood, it causes inconvenience to approximately 1/3 of women and men.
The factor in the appearance of the disease is a decrease in the tone of the muscles of the pharynx. In such a situation, the walls of the throat sink, and the sleeping person begins to suffer from oxygen starvation.
Pathologies of the upper respiratory tract, accompanied by sleep apnea:
- defect in the design of the lower jaw;
- polyps;
- enlargement of the tonsils;
- too long tongue in the sky;
- deviated nasal septum.
The main causes of the development of the disease:
- overweight;
- smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages;
- diseases of the central nervous system;
- the use of sleeping pills;
- hypertension;
- hereditary predisposition;
- hormonal disorders;
- uncomfortable posture during sleep;
- diabetes;
- elderly age.
To reduce the likelihood of developing sleep apnea by 15%, you need to minimize the influence of one of the above causes by at least a third. The patient is quite capable of independently eliminating many factors and improving his sleep.
How to diagnose sleep apnea, and what is it fraught with?
Snoring is a constant companion of sleep apnea. It signals a malfunction in the body. Very often, people sleeping alone are not even aware of their problem. They should be concerned about chronic fatigue and migraines in the morning.
It happens that snoring is absent. In this case, a loved one will pay attention to the restless sleep of the patient. The partner constantly fidgets on the bed, shifts the bedding, can talk in his sleep. He often wakes up and sharply draws in the air with his lips, in the morning he complains of a lack of strength.
Other warning signs of the disease:
- increased sweating at night;
- a person suddenly wakes up and feels that he does not have enough air, it is hard to breathe, his heart beats in an accelerated rhythm;
- sometimes after such a rise it is difficult to fall asleep again;
- frequent urination at night.
Interrupted sleep does not allow the body to rest and gain strength. Chronic fatigue makes a person irritable and distracted, impairs memory. The constant desire to sleep during the day reduces performance. Men will be alarmed by problems with potency.
If you have noted at least three of the above signs, you need to consult with a specialist on how to treat sleep apnea.
The results of medical research have shown that people with nocturnal breath holding are predisposed to diseases of the cardiovascular system. They are at risk of hypertension, stroke, heart attack.
How to beat sleep apnea at home
The goal of therapy is to eliminate the causes of snoring and return the respiratory act to normal. The body will rest at night, the person will wake up cheerful and energetic.
To cure sleep apnea at home, you will have to change your habits a little. The condition will improve significantly if:
- quit smoking;
- accustom yourself to fall asleep without sleeping pills;
- make it a rule to take long walks in the fresh air;
- get rid of extra pounds;
- eat less sweets;
- give up alcohol;
- sleep on your side with your head up;
- equip the bedroom with an ultrasonic humidifier;
- before going to bed, massage or take a bath.
Walking in the fresh air, a person not only has a good time, but also reduces the risk of developing shortness of breath during sleep.
Gymnastics against apnea
Special exercises are a reliable remedy for the disease. They need to be given only 5-10 minutes a day for 2-3 weeks. The goal of gymnastics is to increase the tone of the ligaments and muscles near the supraglottic region.
- Move the lower jaw back and forth for 2-3 minutes.
- Sing or read aloud.
- Stick out your tongue as much as possible and fix it in this position for a few seconds. Repeat the exercise at least 25-30 times in 2 sets.
- Clamp a pencil in your teeth, straining your jaw with all your might. Run 2-3 minutes. You can move the pencil in the air, trying to “write” the letters.
- Pronounce the sound “and” for a few minutes.
- Support your chin with your fist. Move the lower jaw back and forth. The fist must create a tangible resistance. Repeat twice a day for 30 times.
Special gymnastics trains the muscles of the pharynx, tongue and lower jaw. The result is a freer movement of air through the respiratory tract.
Traditional medicine recipes
Apnea treatment with folk remedies strengthens the muscles of the palate, relieves swelling of the nasopharynx. This is a great way to normalize sleep without resorting to medication.
Sea salt
- It is useful to arrange salt baths lasting up to 20 minutes. You can use regular rock or sea salt. You can not buy products with additives and dyes. To improve the condition, at least 15-20 procedures are needed.
- Put a few drops of saline solution into each nostril at night.
- Dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in 1 cup of warm water. Rinse your nose with liquid.
cabbage drink
- 1 glass of cabbage juice.
- 1 tablespoon honey.
- 1 tablespoon of vodka.
- 1 pinch of crushed dill seeds.
All ingredients are mixed. The drink is drunk before going to bed. Such treatment with folk remedies is repeated every day for 2-3 months.
Sea buckthorn oil
- 1-2 hours before bedtime, drip 1 drop of the extract into each nostril. Pull the oil in with your nose. The duration of treatment is 3 weeks.
- Soak a cotton swab in the product and lubricate the nasal passages.
Eucalyptus oil
- Mix 1-2 drops of the extract in hot water. Breathe in fragrant steam for 5 minutes. This is an absolutely safe remedy that can be used to treat children.
Healing herbs
- Take 0.1 kg of horsetail, sage, burdock leaves, hawthorn berries, 0.05 kg of cinquefoil root. Grind all ingredients and mix. Pour 1 salt spoon of 0.5 l of water in a saucepan, boil for 3-4 minutes. The cooled product should be consumed 4 times a day, 1 glass. Puffiness will decrease if you gargle with liquid.
- Soak fenugreek seeds in water for several hours. For 2-3 weeks, eat a handful of swollen seeds every day, chewing them thoroughly.
- Prepare a decoction based on mint, thyme, lemon balm or yarrow. You are allowed to add some leaves of one of the herbs to your regular tea.
Treatment of apnea with alternative methods will help eliminate local symptoms. If the disease is started, provoked by malfunctions of the central nervous system, you should immediately make an appointment with a doctor.