Can sleep apnoea be cured?

One answer received

1. Caroline Hughes on 30th December 2017 - 2:35pm Reply

   There are currently no medical cures for sleep apnoea. There are long-term treatments to relieve your symptoms, such as positive airway pressure therapy, but they will not cure your sleep apnoea over time. A positive airway pressure machine blows air through a mask which is worn on your face. The mask then directs this pressurised air through your airways which helps you to breathe.

   Obstructive Sleep Apnoea can be lessened, and in some cases cured, simply by making lifestyle changes. If you would like to try and cure your Obstructive Sleep Apnoea there are six main steps you can take:

   1. If you are overweight or obese, losing weight will reduce your severity level. Research suggests that if you lose 10% of your body weight, the severity of your Obstructive Sleep Apnoea will drop by approximately 26%.
   2. Take regular cardiovascular exercise. It is recommended that you take moderate intensity aerobic exercise for two and a half hours per week spread over four days. Moderate intensity means you become warm, slightly out of breath, with an increased heart rate.
   3. Undertake strength training exercises twice during the week. This involves working each group of muscles in turn by repeating an exercise for that particular muscle group eight to 12 times. For example, you could lift a weight up and down eight times to build strength in specific arm muscles.
   4. Stop smoking.
   5. Avoid alcohol.
   6. Take up the didgeridoo! According to a small study, this strengthens the muscles of your airways. Practise five to six days a week and after a period of four months your AHI will have declined. However, it is not known if the AHI creeps back up if you stop, so be prepared to continue!

   It is worth trying to cure your Obstructive Sleep Apnoea naturally. These lifestyle changes will also dramatically improve your health. However, it is important to bear in mind that if you were born with narrow airways these changes may not completely cure your sleep apnoea.