If you’ve been recently diagnosed with sleep apnea, it means you struggle with good sleep. However, several effective ways can help manage sleep apnea and allow you to get better sleep. Learn the most effective ways to improve your sleep with sleep apnea in this article. Visit the best Mental Health Clinic in Brooklyn at Doral Health & Wellness or log on to www.doralhw.org

Tips to sleep better if you have sleep apnea

Certain strategies can improve your sleep if you have sleep apnea, including:

1. Try myofunctional therapy:

These exercises can strengthen the muscles around the mouth, face, and tongue. Some evidence shows that MFT may help you sleep better if you have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) by decreasing snoring and sleep disruptions. There are many different forms of MFT exercises you can try. Here are some of them, including:

• Soft palate ‘ah’s: Try to say the vowel sound “ah” repeatedly and then hold it. Performing this exercise can use muscles of the back of the throat and mouth. Repeat this for 3 minutes every day.
• Tongue mewing: Press your whole tongue against your palate (roof of the mouth) and try to suck it upward. Perform this for 3 minutes during the day to strengthen the muscles of your tongue.
• Chewing exercises: When you eat, practice chewing food from both sides of your mouth and then swallowing. Keep your tongue on the roof of your mouth (palate) when your mouth is closed.

Doing these exercises daily for 10 to 20 minutes will strengthen these muscles. You can also ask your healthcare professional to refer you to a myofunctional therapist to guide you with MFT exercises.

2. Use a humidifier:

You can install a humidifier in your bedroom which can help you sleep better with sleep apnea for several reasons.

• It can help you moisten the throat, nasal passages, and mouth which is common in people who have sleep apnea or use CPAP for treatment. That’s why many sleep apnea machines have built-in or attachable humidifiers. Because dry air can irritate your nose and throat and make it difficult to breathe during sleep.

However, some studies found certain types of humidifiers can lead to health risks if not used correctly, so talk with your healthcare professional before using a humidifier to improve your sleep quality.

3. Follow proper sleep hygiene:

Whether you have sleep apnea or not, practicing good sleep hygiene can be beneficial to your overall sleeping habits which improves your sleep quality. This can also maximize the ability to get some quality shut-eye moments. Here are some ways to boost your sleep hygiene include:

• Use your bedroom for sleeping, not for work or eating.
• Sleep on clean, comfortable sheets.
• Avoid eating large meals too close to bedtime.
• Avoid or limit your daytime naps.
• Hide or cover your clock.
• Avoid caffeine or alcohol in the evening.
• Keep your room dark, soothing, and at a comfortable temperature.
• Develop a sleep schedule and stick with it.
• Avoid blue-light devices like your phone, tablet, or laptop, at least an hour before you are ready to sleep.
• Doing some mind-relaxing activities before bedtime can be helpful (like listening to calm music, taking a bath, reading a book, etc.).

4. Lose weight, if needed:

Not everyone, but some people who are overweight (which is a common risk factor for sleep apnea), especially if you have excess fat in or around the neck that impairs a person’s breathing and worsens sleep apnea. Losing weight may help to improve sleep apnea symptoms.

According to the Sleep Foundation, losing 10 to 15% of body weight can decrease the obstructive sleep apnea severity by 50% who are moderately obese. So, even if you’re carrying a few extra pounds, losing them may make your breathing easier and sleep better. Here are some steps that might help:

• Lower the intake of processed and fast foods, instead add foods high in fiber, protein, and unsaturated fats.
• Perform regular exercise for at least 30 minutes every day.
• Avoid or limit your consumption of high-sugar beverages.

You can also talk with your doctor to create a weight loss plan that is suitable for you.

5. Consider using oral appliance:

If you have mild to moderate sleep apnea, getting an oral appliance for sleep apnea is a better option than CPAP. There’s a specially designed mouthguard called mandibular advancement device, which shifts your lower jaw slightly forward, which tightens the soft tissues or muscles of the back of your throat to keep the airway open and prevent obstruction during sleep. This might not replace CPAP but it’s still a good alternative for mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea if you have natural teeth and maintain a healthy body weight. Oral appliances improve your sleep quality with sleep apnea without interfering with your daily life or requiring significant upkeep. It also prevents your snoring too.

6. Invest in a good pillow:

You might be surprised to know that your pillow can play an important role in sleep apnea, you need to find the best one according to your preference and sleep position. Your sleeping position has a major impact on your sleep apnea. That’s why you should choose a pillow to improve it.

For side sleepers, you should pick the pillow that aligns with your neck and removes pressure from your shoulders. For back and stomach sleepers, you should look for thinner pillows. The goal is to keep the spine naturally aligned because CPAP masks often get removed by your pillow. These pillows help to accommodate CPAP masks. These pillows have indented areas on both sides of the pillow that leave space for your mask.

Additionally, you should consider a new mattress as well because mattresses need to be replaced every five to eight years. Besides that, back sleepers need firmer mattresses, while side sleepers require a softer mattress to reduce pressure points from shoulders and hips.

7. Side sleeping positioners:

The most common home remedy for sleep apnea is to change body position or use the device to fix the position. Certain positioners, as a form of positional therapy, work well for people who sleep on their backs. People who sleep on their back are more likely to experience obstructive sleep apnea.

For example, a side sleeping backpack is a vest-type clothing item with a bulging part on the back. If a person tries to roll over on the back while wearing the backpack, they cannot maintain that position and need to turn one side or the other. Some people may prefer to make their positioner by using a tennis ball or another item on their back to prevent them from turning while sleeping.

However, in an old study, 50% of participants snored more frequently when they used the positioner. And chronic snoring can damage the tissues of the upper airways, which is not good for everyone.

When to worry?

If you are struggling with excessive daytime sleepiness, for example, if you fall asleep at work or school, you should talk with your doctor. You should also talk with your doctor if you/your loved one witnesses such episodes frequently and/or struggles with breathing while they sleep.

Sleep apnea can be a serious condition because when a person stops breathing, the heart has to work overtime to pump blood through the body. This extra work can damage the heart and lead to high blood pressure and heart rhythm problems. The prescribed treatment is usually based on your symptoms, which can be CPAP machines or even surgery in some cases, especially for children with enlarged tonsils and adenoids.

Living with sleep apnea can be difficult but proper treatment and the above-mentioned tips to improve sleep can help manage sleep apnea symptoms and prevent severe complications. You should see your doctor if you have excessive sleepiness during the day or are unable to concentrate on important work.

If you need help with sleep apnea, visit our behavioral clinic in Brooklyn to get professional medical help. Call us to book your appointment now!!!!!

Book your appointment with the best mental health professionals in Brooklyn where doctors and staff ensure you get the best results. Call us on +1-347-384-5690 to get a consultation. If you need help learning coping methods, register your information and make direct contact with our doctors and psychiatrists to learn those methods, log on to www.doralhw.org. Visit us at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11212.