People who suffer from sleep apnea experience breathing problems while sleeping.
Causes and risk factors
Sleep apnea is caused by the obstruction of breathing during sleep. During sleep it is normal for our muscles to relax. Human throats are composed of collapsible walls of soft tissue that create an airway into the body. For some people, this airway can become obstructed during sleep, which creates breathing problems.
Individuals with low muscle tones and soft tissue around their airways due to obesity are at a greater risk of suffering from sleep apnea. Similarly, the elderly are more likely to have sleep apnea than are young people.
Symptoms
Symptoms of sleep apnea include:
- Snoring
- Gasping or choking for air during sleep
- Labored breathing and snorting sounds during sleep
- Repeated cessation of breathing during sleep
- Nocturia (frequent need to urinate at night)
- Labored sleep
- Dry mouth on awakening
- Daytime sleepiness
- Depression or irritability
- Impaired concentration and/or memory
- High blood pressure
There are emotional aspects to this condition as well. Some people experience anxiety or even anguish about whether each night could be their last. There are natural healing solutions available for sleep apnea.
Natural Healing Solutions
Perform a full body detox to help reboot and refresh the body, including the lungs.
Another idea is to sleep with your head lower than your feet (they sell beds that recline), which allows more oxygen to travel to your brain. Alternatively, you may try sleeping without a pillow and your head flat on the bed keeping your head and feet balanced. If the issue is based on a physiological problem and not a spiritual disturbance, it may be helpful to add an additional pillow and sleep at a thirty-degree elevation of the body, or higher. Doing so will help prevent the gravitational collapse of the airway. It is also helpful to sleep on one’s side instead of one’s back.
Some doctors advise behavioral therapy to help manage mental and emotional issues that may be negatively affecting sleeping patterns.
It is possible that job-related stress can create sleep issues. Make sure that you are living the life you want. Centering your life around fulfilling your dreams and achieving your high purposes allows you to live your making, rather than make a living.
Dietary Intervention
Do not eat heavy meals before bedtime. Heavy and large meals should be eaten between 5-7 p.m. Refrain from eating after 7:00 p.m.
Consider reducing or suspending your alcohol intake.
If you smoke, try to quit. Cigarette smoking greatly impairs respiratory functions that play a major role during sleep hours.
Thank you for reading!
This article is compliments of Dherbs.com.
Vincent Stevens is the senior content writer at Dherbs. As a fitness and health and wellness enthusiast, he enjoys covering a variety of topics, including the latest health, fitness, beauty, and lifestyle trends. His goal is to inform people of different ways they can improve their overall health, which aligns with Dherbs’ core values. He received his bachelor’s degree in creative writing from the University of Redlands, graduating summa cum laude. He lives in Los Angeles, CA.
