Scrap the Mask and Treat Sleep Apnea the Natural Way

by Joseph Myers

If you know fifteen people in the U.S., then you know at least one person who is afflicted with the sleep disorder known as sleep apnea. According to SleepDisordersGuide.com, sleep apnea affects 18 million Americans, many of which are middle-aged overweight men. "Apnea," which is a Greek word meaning, "want of breath," is a sleeping disorder which causes a person to snore, have loss of breath, or awake suddenly because airway passages have become constricted. Snoring may seem to be a minor annoyance to some, but constriction of breath can become dangerous and the disorder can worsen with time, and become life threatening if left untreated.

Many doctors recommend surgery or a mask that can prevent the closing of air passageways during sleep, but many patients have found these forms of treatment to be more costly, less effective and more invasive. There are many alternative, natural treatments that are affordable, easy to do and can help you to combat sleep apnea in the long term, while helping you to improve your health overall.

A Cup of Tea Before Bed

It may sound odd, but several studies have concluded that there may be benefits to having a cup of green tea before bed, if you suffer from sleep apnea. According to ScienceDaily.com, research has concluded the green tea polyphenols (or GTP) found in green tea has a high level of anti-oxidants which can be helpful to people who suffer from OSA or obstructive sleep apnea. If you are concerned with the caffeine in green tea, then you can also drink decaffeinated green tea, which has the same benefits. So, instead of having that nightcap, have a nice hot cup of Organic Green Golden Moon loose tea. You'll enjoy the comforting earthy flavor and a peaceful uninterrupted nights sleep.

Put the Booze Down

Russell Rosenberg, PhD. specialist in sleeping disorders and Chairman on the board of the National Sleep foundation, wrote an article in the Huffington Post which recommends people who suffer from this disorder abstain from drinking alcohol before bed. Rosenberg suggests that using alcohol to induce sleep is not healthy and can alter your stages of normal sleep and cause abrupt awakenings. Plus, if you use this method to induce sleep over a long period time, consuming alcohol will lose its effect over time, causing a patient to require increased levels of alcohol and could possibly turn into an unhealthy dependency over time.

Drop a Few Pounds

The American Sleep Apnea Association has suggested that since about 70 percent of people who suffer from this sleep disorder are overweight or obese, one way to fight sleep apnea is to make a conscious effort to lose weight. Light exercise before bed is also a great way to expend energy while burning calories.

Adopting these healthy suggestions as a change in your health regimen could erase sleep apnea from your life completely. You might not see improvements immediately and the results of implementing these changes might not seem like a cure in the beginning, but they are definitely easier to do and the best part is, you can practice these suggestions on your own time, without a prescription. However, talk to your doctor if you want to know if these ideas are right for you.

Joseph Myers
Joe is a blogger and former pharmaceutical rep who writes about medical and health topics, especially for seniors. He became passionate about elder care after going through it with both of his parents.