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Page 7 of 16

Treating Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Lifestyle Changes

Changes in lifestyle may be sufficient to control sleep apnea in mild cases and should be included in the treatment plan even in more severe cases.

Weight loss is generally helpful in all overweight patients with sleep apnea. However, the relationship between weight reduction and improvement of sleep apnea is not linear (i.e. in some cases relatively modest weight loss can help whereas other patients need to lose a lot of weight to see a significant improvement). It is recommended that weight reduction be incorporated into an overall program of chronic disease management with appropriate supervision and support from healthcare professionals.

Avoid sleeping on your back. Many people only snore or stop breathing while sleeping on their back. In such cases, avoidance of this position during sleep reduces both snoring and apnea. There are some simple procedures that can be used to reduce sleeping on your back such as attaching a sock to the back of your nightshirt with 1 or 2 tennis balls. Each time you roll onto your back, the discomfort will prompt you to roll onto your side. In time, you will favor sleeping on your side. Ask your doctor if your sleep study demonstrated whether your sleep apnea occurred only on your back.

Avoid excessive alcohol. Alcohol consumption close to bedtime makes both snoring and apnea worse predominantly because alcohol preferentially reduces the activity of the muscles around the windpipe, thereby allowing it to narrow and collapse more easily. In addition, alcohol can have other effects on sleep. Although alcohol may help to initiate sleep at the beginning of the night, there is often a rebound awakening in the middle of the night as the alcohol level falls in your blood. Finally, alcohol may make daytime sleepiness worse because of its sedative effects.

Stop smoking - this causes nasal congestion, which can make the use of treatment with CPAP (described below) more difficult.

Avoid lack of sleep - Sleep restriction due to busy lifestyles is very common in our society. If the quality of your sleep is reduced by sleep apnea, you are more sensitive to lack of sleep, which may aggravate your daytime sleepiness and ability to function optimally during the daytime.




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Sleep Centre Home OSA Diagnostic Tests OSA Treatments Online Sleep Class Suggestions for Better Sleep SnoreSat Instructional Video New Telehealth Insomnia Management Program Referral Process Referral Form Download Form Physician Training Respirology Residents Rotation Sleep Fellowship CPAP Providers Research Projects Links Contact Us	Sleep Centre Foothills Medical Centre Online Sleep Class Page 7 of 16 Treating Obstructive Sleep Apnea Lifestyle Changes Changes in lifestyle may be sufficient to control sleep apnea in mild cases and should be included in the treatment plan even in more severe cases. Weight loss is generally helpful in all overweight patients with sleep apnea. However, the relationship between weight reduction and improvement of sleep apnea is not linear (i.e. in some cases relatively modest weight loss can help whereas other patients need to lose a lot of weight to see a significant improvement). It is recommended that weight reduction be incorporated into an overall program of chronic disease management with appropriate supervision and support from healthcare professionals. Avoid sleeping on your back. Many people only snore or stop breathing while sleeping on their back. In such cases, avoidance of this position during sleep reduces both snoring and apnea. There are some simple procedures that can be used to reduce sleeping on your back such as attaching a sock to the back of your nightshirt with 1 or 2 tennis balls. Each time you roll onto your back, the discomfort will prompt you to roll onto your side. In time, you will favor sleeping on your side. Ask your doctor if your sleep study demonstrated whether your sleep apnea occurred only on your back. Avoid excessive alcohol. Alcohol consumption close to bedtime makes both snoring and apnea worse predominantly because alcohol preferentially reduces the activity of the muscles around the windpipe, thereby allowing it to narrow and collapse more easily. In addition, alcohol can have other effects on sleep. Although alcohol may help to initiate sleep at the beginning of the night, there is often a rebound awakening in the middle of the night as the alcohol level falls in your blood. Finally, alcohol may make daytime sleepiness worse because of its sedative effects. Stop smoking - this causes nasal congestion, which can make the use of treatment with CPAP (described below) more difficult. Avoid lack of sleep - Sleep restriction due to busy lifestyles is very common in our society. If the quality of your sleep is reduced by sleep apnea, you are more sensitive to lack of sleep, which may aggravate your daytime sleepiness and ability to function optimally during the daytime.
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