This simple trick could wipe out your sleep apnea overnight
Looking for some shuteye without looking like a robot?
If you’re one of millions who cope with sleep apnea, this recent headline might sound like the wakeup call you’ve been dreaming of…
“Sleep Apnea Relief — Without the Dreaded Mask.”
I know a few people who use “the mask” — also known as CPAP for continuous positive airway pressure. I wouldn’t say they dread it exactly, but none of them have one bit of affection for it. Sure, it works. And without it, their heart health could be in serious danger. But sleeping with a muzzle strapped to your face every night is not the stuff sweet dreams are made of.
So how can you pull off the mask and shelve it forever?
The article offers four solutions. And one of them we can dismiss immediately. It requires an invasive chest implant with a pacemaker-like device and it’s still in the trial stage, so we’ll tick that one off the list.
Next is oral pressure therapy (OPT). You might call it “CPAP Lite.” Instead of blowing air through a mask, OPT blows air through a mouthpiece. It’s expensive (about the same cost as CPAP) and insurers aren’t going for it so far. Also, it only works in about half of sleep apnea patients. So…moving on…
I would guess that most sleep apnea patients have tried using Breathe Right nasal strips at some point. EPAP (expiratory positive airway pressure) seems like a more complicated version of Breathe Right. Adhesive strips with small breathing valves go inside the nostrils. It’s better than wearing the mask, but the price is a deal breaker. A year’s supply of strips costs as much as a CPAP machine.
Finally we come to MAD (mandibular advancement device). It’s low tech, relatively inexpensive, and recommended by Dr. Wright. We have a winner! (You can go here for his take on it.)
MAD is a plastic mouthpiece that draws your jaw forward. For many sleep apnea patients that’s all it takes to keep the airways open. In a study last year, MAD devices worked just as well as CPAP masks, but patients overwhelmingly preferred MAD. You’ll need to ask your dentist to fit you for a MAD device, but beyond that the expense is minimal.
But before you call your dentist, there’s one nutritional strategy you can try. Apparently it only works for a minority of sleep apnea patients, but it’s simple and inexpensive. Nutrition & Healing subscribers can check this link to read about one man’s experience in overcoming sleep apnea with vitamin supplements. Dr. Wright follows up with notes about dosage and cautions.
If you’re not yet a Nutrition & Healing subscriber, click here for instant access to Dr. Wright’s invaluable monthly commentary on the most advanced methods of natural healing.
Sources:
Sleep Apnea Relief — Without the Dreaded Mask
(newsmaxhealth.com)