6 Lifestyle Changes Good for Managing Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea affects over 22 million Americans and often leads to long-term complications like stroke and heart failure if not properly managed. Therefore, it is good to talk with health experts such as Dr. Divian Patel, a sleep apnea specialist in San Ramon, if you have suspicious symptoms such as loud snoring. The provider will diagnose your condition and develop a treatment plan depending on your unique needs. Additionally, you can do many things to improve the effectiveness of your treatment, as outlined herein. Have a look.

Develop a Sleep Diary

Keeping a record of your sleeping pattern will help you notice the quality and quantity of sleep you are getting and help you determine if your condition is getting better or worse. Ensure you note down as many details about your sleep as possible, including how long you sleep every night, how you feel in the morning, how many times you woke at night and anything your partner may have mentioned about your sleep.

Manage Your Weight

Staying obese or overweight doubles your chances of developing sleep apnea or worsening the condition if it already exists. Therefore, it would help to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight. Talk to your doctor about the strategies you can adopt to achieve your goals. Generally, reduce the calories you take daily and increase the calories you burn by developing an exercise routine. Also, keeping a food diary and drinking more water can help you manage your weight.

Exercise Daily

Daily exercises can help you lose weight, as mentioned earlier. Additionally, it has other awesome benefits like strengthening your breathing muscles and improving your lung function. You will also notice that your concentration, mood, and critical thinking are improving with exercises. Generally, discuss incorporating moderate-intensity exercises in your schedule for at least 30 minutes every day with your doctor. You can also start with low-impact exercises and adjust gradually, mainly if you are not used to exercising.

Quit Smoking

Smoking is generally not good for your overall well-being and is bad for your lungs. It is a notorious contributor to different kinds of complications such as high blood pressure, emphysema, and cancer. If you are a smoker, your likelihoods of developing sleep apnea are triple compared to a nonsmoker. Therefore, do not smoke if you want to eliminate your risks for health complications. You can consult your doctor if you decide to quit smoking as it might not be easy, but it is possible with help.

Keep off Alcohol

Alcohol can interfere with your normal breathing as it depresses your nervous system increasing your sleep apnea risks. Therefore, it would help to avoid alcohol and any alcoholic beverages to avoid the potential cause of sleep apnea. You can choose alcohol-free beverages instead, such as tea, juice, and sparkling water, especially if you are used to having drinks before bed.

Change Your Sleeping Angle

Sleeping on your stomach or back increases your snoring and your chances of developing sleep apnea. Therefore, monitor your sleeping angle, and it would be good to sleep on your side to stop some complications associated with sleep apnea. Although this might not cure the condition, it will prevent it from occurring and improve the effectiveness of your treatment.

If you snore loudly at night or have other suspicious sleep apnea symptoms, reach out to San Ramon Dental Excellence today for help. Your provider will consider treatment options with you and help you know what you can do to improve your condition. 

Kamlesh Bakshi