Lowering Your Risks for Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a troubling disorder that will affects your sleep as well as having some very negative consequences on your health and well-being. This disorder can affect someone at any age and is considered to be a degenerative condition when. When sleep apnea is left untreated, the condition can become much more serious. There are things that can be done to lower your risk of developing sleep apnea. Those that are high in risk factors are much more prone to develop this very difficult sleep disorder. There are certain methods people can use to keep their risk for sleep apnea down.

Staying or getting into good shape is an important element to reducing your risk for sleep apnea. Fatty tissues in the neck that are a direct result of being obese are the leading cause of sleep apnea. This excess tissue can obstruct the airway by putting weight on the esophagus, which can lead to sleep apnea. It has been determined that having a neck with a circumference of over 17 inches presents a significant risk for contracting sleep apnea.

The use of depressants also increases the risk of developing sleep apnea. Depressants such as alcohol and sleeping pills cause the throat muscles to relax giving way to a possible airway obstruction. Alcohol should be taken no sooner than four hours before bedtime for this reason creating a lower chance of snoring and sleep apnea at bed time.

Smoking can also contribute to developing sleep apnea. Smoking causes increased inflammation in the throat as well as fluid retention in the upper airway. These two conditions can represent a serious airway obstruction.

Some people that experience sleep apnea only do so when lying on their backs at night. A conscious effort to sleep on one's side can be made to help remedy the situation. Many different techniques may be attempted such as sleeping with a pillow behind your back to prevent you from rolling onto your back. Whatever your method is, find one that works for you and stick with it.

Some of the most serious risks for sleep apnea can be reduced by lifestyle changes. Other factors such as old age and a narrow air passage cannot be adapted for and are unavoidable risks. If you suspect that you have sleep apnea, get a proper diagnosis from a certified sleep lab and begin to take steps to reduce your risk.

About the Author: Elizabeth Radisson is the editor of http://SleepApnea.OurGoodHealth.org, a website devoted to information on the causes and treatment of sleep apnea. Also, visit http://www.OurGoodHealth.org for more health-related information.