What Leads To Sleep Apnea & What Can Be Done To Treat It?
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If you end up waking from sleep finding that you haven’t been able to breathe for a short period of time, you are most likely affected by sleep apnea. Sleep apnea occurs when you can’t take in air while sleeping because your throat stays open or your throat temporarily collapses making you become breathless.
Sleeping on Your Back
Most times sleep apnea happens while sleeping on your back although it can happen in any position. Sleep apnea is usually caused when the tongue or throat muscles relax beyond the usual range and by sleeping on your back, the fact that the muscles have relaxed so much lets the tongue slip up towards the back on your mouth and you are unable to breathe.
Thus, if it is found that sleeping on your back is the main sleep apnea cause, you need to simply change your sleeping position and thus again regain your ability to sleep soundly. Another possible sleep apnea cause is when your adenoids or tonsils become too large and to treat such a sleep apnea cause you may require undergoing surgery, though of course the decision is best left to your doctor.
If you are overweight and have too much body fat you may also be at risk for sleep apnea. Fat deposits can accumulate at the back of the throat and cause it to collapse or a blockage while you are sleeping.
For mild sleep apnea you can use a mouthpiece that will control your tongue and keep you breathing consistently for a better nights sleep.
Finally, you can also add the size of your skull and neck bones as a possible sleep apnea cause because often these may be shaped in a manner that forces your muscles to close over your throat when you are lying down and thus will spoil your sleep at night.
The best approach to treat this problem or for extreme sleep apnea is by using the Continuous Positive Airway Pressure treatment.
