Sleep apnea can be a life threatening disease, so it’s important for you to stop sleep apnea best you can. Apnea is a condition that makes you stop breathing for 10 seconds or more at a time and may cause death in your sleep. In some of the worst cases this can happen up to 100 times in one hour! There are, however, ways to stop sleep apnea from happening to you or your loved ones. Sleep apnea is disturbingly common and affects almost 12 million people in the US alone. Its best to speak to your doctor if you suspect you might be suffering from sleep apnea as treatment of this affliction is unique to every person. Medication isn’t very effective so the most treatments involve behavioral changes, CPAP therapy, surgery and oral appliance therapy.

There are basically three main forms of sleep apnea. The first is called obstructive sleep apnea and is the most common form of this disease. This is caused by a relaxed tongue and loose muscle and soft tissue around the entrance of your throat that collapses and blocks off the airway. Common symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea are loud snoring, restless sleep and being sleepy during the day. Diagnostic tests can be taken at a sleep clinic.

The second type of sleep apnea is called central sleep apnea. This is more of a mental problem. While sleeping, this type of apnea-sufferers’ brain respiratory control center is unbalanced and fails in maintaining an even level of breathing, making you sometimes even stop breathing.

The third and last type is called mixed apnea. This is a combination of the previous two types. It is obvious then that sleep apnea, in whatever form you have it, is very dangerous and should be stopped if possible. With there being several different types it is crucial to determine the type of apnea you suffer from.

Behavior therapy is the first way to stop sleep apnea. This is normally applied when the cause can be identified. Weight loss is a common method here as well as getting exercise and quitting harmful habits such as smoking and drinking. This method is unfortunately only successful in a tiny percentage of sufferers.

CPAP therapy is also often recommended as a way to stop sleep apnea. This involves a machine blowing air into a mask that covers either your nose or nose and mouth. The continuous air pressure keeps your airway open during sleep. Research indicates that less than 50% of those who try CPAP use it for the long term.

Surgery, another way to stop sleep apnea, is also often recommended. This involves increasing the size of your airway so you can breathe more easily. This is usually a last resort as surgery is non-reversible and can have damaging side effects.

Usually the best tolerated and best way to non-invasively and effectively stop sleep apnea is with an oral appliance that repositions the lower jaw forward during sleep to keep the airway open. There are a few anti snoring devices that can be used to prevent apnea but the snoring device must be customized and adjustable. An adjustable anti snoring device enables the lower jaw to move forward in small increments to find the most optimal opening of the airway that will stop sleep apnea.

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