Treatment for sleep disorders related to an underlying psychological or neurological condition may include medication and behavioral therapy.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea Treatment & Management
Approach Considerations
The treatment of sleep apnea can be done in several ways, namely medication, dental appliances, breathing-aid devices, etc. Another simple and conservative method of reducing the severity of sleep apnea is by making subtle changes to your everyday routine.
Certain factors from your everyday life affect sleep apnea, such as your diet, sleeping positions, alcohol consumption, use of tobacco, and other behavioral aspects. Making changes to them can offer significant relief from sleep apnea and help you sleep better.
Medication
Based on the observations from the sleep study, medication will be prescribed. The excessive relaxation of the muscles of the throat has to be prevented, which will be done by the medication.
Behavioral changes
Some of the factors that could affect the severity of sleep apnea are as follows:
- Alcohol consumption
- Smoking cigarettes and chewing tobacco
- Irregular sleep routine
- Physical and mental stress
- Awkward sleeping positions
- Including a lot of cholesterol-rich foods in the diet
Some of the things you can do are:
- Completely avoid chewing tobacco and smoking cigarettes
- Avoid consuming alcohol, especially at night. Drinking alcohol a few hours before sleeping can result in excessive relaxation of the muscles of the body.
- Follow a strict schedule for sleep. Early to bed and waking up early is recommended.
- Sleeping in an awkward position that could put pressure on the throat and the jaws should be avoided. Instead, try to sleep in a position where the throat is not compressed.
- Most importantly, avoid consuming foods which could make you gain weight, such as foods rich in cholesterol. The fat that would get deposited under the layer of skin and the lining of the internal organs could affect the breathing. Most importantly, the fat deposition could make the opening to the throat smaller and result in troubled breathing. This also intensifies snoring.
- Practice meditation and yoga.
Call us at (818) 789-2034 or schedule an online appointment to have a consultation with Dr. Daniel Tebbi at our practice in Encino, CA.
