Without a good night sleep, life can be very difficult. Those that suffer from sleep apnea will feel they have slower reflexes, always feel sleepy, and find they can't concentrate on the task at hand. Prolonged sleep apnea can aid in the development of some major problems later on in life such as diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, and also heart disease. For these reasons, getting your sleep apnea treated is absolutely necessary for the quality of your immediate health and your future health. This article will outline three common ways of treating sleep apnea and what they entail.

Doctor Prescribed Lifestyle Change

An individual that has extra weight on their body will generally have an enlarged uvula, a piece of tissue that hangs down in the back of the throat. This piece of tissue can actually block the passage of air into the lungs, and seriously disrupt sleeping. For this reason, one of the first ways to battle sleep apnea is to lose some of the extra weight. Not every individual that has sleep apnea is overweight, but a good majority do suffer from excess body fat. Usually even a small amount of weight loss allows for the body to begin sleeping better.

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure

Continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, is one of the most common ways for a doctor to help treat sleep apnea. The CPAP may be uncomfortable at first, but you will get used to sleeping with it, and it truly does help a great deal. The CPAP will add just a little air pressure into your airways and will help keep your airways open and allow for air to flow freely into your lungs. The CPAP mask come in a few different shapes and sizes and will have adjustable straps, so most people are able to find a shape and size that fits.

Get Into A Rhythm

One way to help your body get the sleep it needs is getting into a routine. When you start going to bed and waking up at the same time, your body will start to get used to the routine. When you lie down for bed at a specific time each night, your body will start to be trained to go to bed, and this can also help battle sleep apnea.

In some cases, therapy and exercise still do not get rid of the problem, so surgery to remove excess tissue may be the solution. Contact a sleep apnea treatment clinic for more information.