Can Sleeping On Your Side Prevent Sleep Apnea

The reason is simple.

Can sleeping on your side prevent sleep apnea.

If you are fatigued and distracted during the day no matter how much time you spent in bed you may have sleep apnea. However a 2002 study found that. If the pressure is too high you could experience air swallowing or a mask leak. The tongue falls back and blocks the airway so sleeping on your side may improve sleep apnea and symptoms fotinakes adds that sleeping on your side or in a prone on your stomach position.

However some of the patients didn t feel any change and they still have sleep apnea symptoms with positional therapy. Sleeping on the side is a very good alternative for cpap treatment or for dental appliances. If you are overweight aim to lose at least five percent of your body weight to improve breathing. These types of beds are pricey but even if you could easily afford one you d still end up being locked in one position since sleeping on your side while upright would be unbearably uncomfortable.

The findings have shown that by changing the posture to lying on your side with the correct level of pillow that sleep apnea can be completely eliminated. Many patients with sleep apnea wrote to me that they don t use anymore a dental device or a cpap machine when they successfully tried positional therapy. There may also be potential changes in cpap therapy pressure requirements if you go from side sleeping to sleeping on your back. Avoid sleeping on your back.

Dangers of sleep apnea. For some adults sleeping on the side can help breathing return to normal. Avoid heavy meals and caffeine at least two hours before bedtime. Most people breathe better when sleeping on their side.

According to one study around 68 percent of people with sleep apnea breathe much better when not on their back. That has to do with how and where weight falls on the airway. Sleeping on you back causes your airway to become restricted whereas sleeping on your side is the best sleeping position for someone with sleep apnea since it allows the airway to remain open. Have shown sleeping on your back called the supine position can worsen symptoms.

For extreme cases of sleep apnea a more upright seated posture using a prop cushion has shown to also remove this issue. Typically sleeping on your back makes sleep apnea worse and sleeping on your side makes it better schulman says. Side sleeping has long been known as the best sleeping position for breathing and to protect the airway from collapse.