Sleep apnea interferes with your sleep, making even daily activities more difficult. Untreated, it can lead to serious health problems.
There are many treatments for sleep apnea which can improve your sleep and protect your health and wellbeing.
So why should you seek treatment for sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is a condition which causes you to wake up periodically throughout the night, interfering with the quality of your sleep. Treating sleep apnea can mean better sleep for both you and your bed partner.
A better night's sleep can improve your mood, concentration, and overall sense of well-being.
Treating sleep apnea can reduce your risk for apnea-related health conditions, including hypertension and heart disease.
For milder cases of sleep apnea, making some simple lifestyle changes, such as losing weight or quitting smoking, may be enough to improve your symptoms.
The most well-known treatment for sleep apnea, CPAP devices deliver air pressure through a mask to keep your airway passages open. Generally, if you have moderate to severe sleep apnea, a CPAP machine is a good option for addressing your symptoms.
Oral appliances for sleep apnea work by bringing your jaw forward to keep your throat open while you sleep. Often more comfortable than CPAP machines, these appliances work best for mild to moderate cases of sleep apnea.
For some patients, doctors recommend using both CPAP therapy and an oral appliance. Studies have shown that this combination can reduce daytime sleepiness and normalize breathing disturbances.
In general, doctors only recommend surgery for sleep apnea once other treatments have failed. There are several types of surgery used to address sleep apnea, including tissue removal and jaw repositioning.
During a sleep study, your doctor will identify whether your sleep apnea is mild, moderate, or severe and recommend treatment appropriately.
For some patients, breaking habits can make a serious difference in their symptoms. However, you must be able to commit to these changes to see results.
If you have sleep apnea, your body does not get enough oxygen while you sleep. Over time, this chronic oxygen deprivation can cause serious complications, such as high blood pressure, heart problems, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and liver problems.
The best way to prevent these issues from developing is to treat sleep apnea appropriately as soon as possible.
How does sleep apnea treatment work?
A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine consists of a mask which fits over the nose or the nose and mouth and supplies pressurized air.
The air then flows continuously or intermittently into the sleeper’s throat, preventing the airway from collapsing.
Sleep apnea is a chronic condition. While self-care techniques may resolve mild sleep apnea, you will likely need to continue therapy nightly to control your symptoms.
Use your oral appliance or CPAP machine every night and make it a priority to sleep at least six to eight hours every night. If you are not seeing results, speak to your doctor about changing tactics.
The airway collapses during sleep, interfering with proper breathing.
Sleep apnea treatment maintains an open airway for a better night's sleep.
If your sleep apnea treatment is effective, you should notice the results within a few nights.
After starting therapy, patients often experience:
“Good evidence has existed for some time that treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) improves disease-oriented findings, such as disturbed sleep, oxygen desaturation, apneas, and hypopneas.”
Sleep apnea is a serious condition which affects both your health and day-to-day well-being. If you suspect you have sleep apnea or have already been diagnosed, the best way to find out what treatment is right for you is to schedule an appointment with a doctor.
