Is There A Sleep Apnea Natural Cure?

Is there a natural cure for your sleep apnea? Wouldn't you like to solve your sleepless snoring problems without resorting to wearing an electric breathing machine all night long?

What Is Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a condition where the patient's airway collapses while he or she sleeps, cutting off the patient's supply of oxygen. To wake the patient up, the brain triggers the glands to release a surge in hormones and other chemicals. The patient awakens, changes position, resumes breathing, and goes back to sleep – until the next time the airway collapses.

The cycle repeats itself all night long. Some sleep apnea patients wake up over 100 times per night without even realizing it.

Why Is Sleep Apnea A Problem?

Sleep apnea causes all sorts of problems. First, there are relationship problems with the patient's spouse or partner. Sleep apnea patients are notoriously loud snorers, and their partners resent having to sleep in separate rooms or keep waking up all night long.

Sleep apnea patients want a natural cure for their sleep apnea. Many of them are desperate. They face fatigue during daytime hours, and they are five times more likely to be involved in automobile accidents than individuals without sleep apnea.

Because of the repeated rush of chemicals caused by the frequent waking and sleeping cycle, sleep apnea patients are also at high risk for developing diabetes and heart disease. Sleep apnea can also cause complications during pregnancy. Finally, sleep apnea decreases the patient's sexual function.

Natural Cures For Sleep Apnea

The traditional treatment for sleep apnea is a CPAP machine, which the patient wears all night to control her breathing. However, some patients have found relief with natural cures.

One natural cure for sleep apnea may be a flower remedy known as Vervain. Dr. Eve Campanelli of Beverly Hills found that Vervain had a calming influence on her patients and helped them solve their sleeping problems.

Another natural cure for sleep apnea is exercises that help the patient stop snoring. Learning to relax the jaw may solve a snoring problem. The patient lightly clenches his jaw, then opens and closes his mouth slowly 20 times in a row. After about ten repetitions, the patient will start to feel the muscle workout in the jaw. Strengthening the jaw muscles is thought to reduce snoring.

Contoured, memory foam pillows are another natural cure for sleep apnea. These pillows provide support through the night while holding the patient's head in a position that discourages snoring. By maintaining the airway in a straight line, the patient reduces the risk of airway collapse.