9 Home Remedies For Sleep Apnea Patients [Infographic]

Sleep apnea is the second most common sleep disorder in the United States with roughly 20 million confirmed cases. It’s caused by an obstruction in the airways that stops people from breathing while sleeping and causes them to wake up multiple times unknowingly.

It’s commonly treated using CPAP, which involves wearing a mask every night and having air delivered to your airways while sleeping. However, did you know that there are some effective home remedies sleep apnea patients can use to alleviate and treat the condition?

What’s even better is that you might already own everything you need to prepare these remedies at home! 

We’ve collected 9 effective home remedies sleep apnea patients will be very glad to know about. Check out the infographic below:

1. Sleep On Your Side

Sleeping on your back is actually the worst possible sleeping position for sleep apnea. As your facial muscles relax, your soft palate rests on the back of your throat and causes vibrations. This leads to snoring and greater obstructions for sleep apnea. In some cases of mild to moderate sleep apnea, sleeping on the side can essentially cure the condition!

Directions: Try sleeping on your side and using a pillow to raise your head up a little while sleeping. Though not as comfortable for most people, you can try sleeping on your belly too.

2. Spearmint

Spearmint can relieve inflammation and promote better sleeping. It has also been known to relieve digestive issues, which are a big culprit behind sleeping issues and snoring.

Directions: Try putting a spearmint essential oil in a diffuser before going to bed at night. Alternatively, you can prepare a spearmint tea by boiling a few leaves in a cup of water and straining the tea into a mug. Drink 30 minutes before going to bed.

3. Throat exercises

Throat exercises can be a highly effective way to treat mild to moderate sleep apnea. It involves doing a series of throat exercises, some of which include singing and doing certain breathing patterns, to open up your airways and allow you to breathe more easily at night.

Check out the Sleep Apnea Exercise Program for more information.

4. Honey

Honey is a great anti inflammatory food, meaning that it helps reduce swelling around the airways and alleviate sleep apnea. Not to mention, it has an impressive list of added benefits, such as regulating sugar levels, helping with weight loss, promoting better sleep and improving athletic ability.

Direction: Add one tablespoon of honey to a warm glass of water, drink it about 30 minutes before hitting the sack.

5. Turmeric

Turmeric is a root with great metabolism boosting abilities. It also promotes better sleep and can help reduce heavy snoring when consumed.

Direction: Add turmeric powder to a glass of warm milk and stir to dissolve. Drink a cup about 30 minutes before going to bed to help fight sleep apnea.

6. Lavender

Lavender is one of the essential oils that best induce sleep. For this reason, it’s a common remedy for treating sleep apnea. It can help soothe congestion, asthma, sleep apnea and other respiratory problems.

Directions: Add lavender oil to a diffuser before going to bed. If you don’t own a diffuser, you can also add a few drops of lavender oil in a tissue and place it under your pillow.

7. Peppermint

Just like honey, peppermint is a great anti-inflammatory that can help open up your airways and relieve sleep apnea. It can also relieve headaches and stress which are often major effects of sleep apnea.

Directions: Drink 1-2 cups of peppermint tea daily. Alternatively, you may add a few drops of peppermint oil into a diffuser.

8. Cinnamon

Cinnamon can help treat breathing issues and promote better sleeping. It is also high in antioxidants, fights diabetes, and fosters dental health.

Directions: Add one tablespoon ginger and one cinnamon stick to water and boil. Strain and sweeten with honey. The combination of ginger, cinnamon, and honey will work together to help alleviate sleep apnea.

9. Regular exercise

Physical activity and exercise are major weapons for reducing, and even eliminating, the symptoms of sleep apnea. Achieving a healthy weight is important to help stop sleep apnea mainly because it leads to a decrease in neck size. Doctors often state that neck sizes greater than 17″ for men and 16″ for women have a higher predisposition to having sleep apnea. Staying in shape and controlling your weight will, therefore, help get rid of sleep apnea.

If you have any more home remedies for sleep apnea, snoring, or better sleep in general, feel free to join the discussion and post them down below.

Stay Rested

Juan