Sleep Apnea and Allergies

Feeling sleepy all day, waking up with a headache and moodiness or irritability are among the things almost everybody can agree belong on the NO FUN list. So what can you do to stay away from items on the NO FUN list and enjoy a happier, less stressful day?

Well, let’s start with what could be causing the unwanted issues. These things can all be caused by an unrestful night’s sleep, often many nights without fully restful sleep, where there is a problem that is preventing the person from sleeping peacefully the entire night.

Sleep apnea, or adult obstructive sleep apnea, is an extremely common problem that affects up to 20 million Americans on a regular basis. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep disorder where breathing is briefly, yet repeatedly interrupted while the person is sleeping.

OSA and allergies, or allergic rhinitis, have been known to be linked. Allergies are caused when allergens that float in the air are breathed in by someone who is allergic to them, thereby inflaming and irritating their nasal passages. People who are allergic to items such as pollen, mold, dust mites or pet dander tend to react with nasal congestion due to swelling, runny nose, sneezing and watery eyes. These symptoms can make sleeping difficult.

Sleep problems linked with OSA are similar to, and amplified by, allergic rhinitis. Sleep is disrupted when the muscles in the throat relax, failing to hold your airway open while you sleep. This is measured in three levels of severity:

  • Apneas consist of complete cessation of air flow for minimum of 10 seconds
  • Hypopneas consists of partial cessation of air flow for 10 seconds
  • Respiratory Event Related Arousal consists of restricted breathing, but no cessation of breathing

A mild case of OSA would consist of 5-15 disruptive events per hour, a moderate case would be 15-29 events per hour, and a severe case would consist of more than 30 events per hour. You can see how a person’s sleep would be very tentative in this situation. Moderate cases may be associated with high blood pressure and certain heart conditions. Severe cases can trigger significant risk of chronic heart and lung conditions and accidental injury such as falling asleep while driving.

Allergies can be managed with medicines and OSA could be managed with surgeries, but there are some less intrusive, more natural things you can do to try to decrease symptoms and increase the amount of decent sleep you are getting each night.

Some of the lifestyle changes that can be made that may help manage OSA include:

  • Weight loss. Losing at least 10% of your body weight could decrease and possibly eliminate OSA.
  • Limit drug use. Try to eliminate or decrease use of alcohol, tranquilizers and antihistamines.
  • Seek treatment for allergies, sinus issues or colds.
  • Gargle at bedtime. Using salt water to gargle, then spit out, may shrink your tonsils.
  • Get enough sleep, try to maintain regular sleep habits.
  • Sleep on your side. Use something dense like a foam wedge to elevate your body from the waist up, and eliminate soft pillows. Keep your chin away from your chest as much as possible.
  • Eliminate irritants such as dust, cigarette smoke and perfumes.
  • Use a humidifier during the nighttime or try showering before bedtime, breathing in the steam.

Trying some of these natural remedies is a great idea because the alternative medical options are much more severe. Some people use a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine over their nose and mouth while they sleep, although many people find this to be a difficult apparatus to get used to and give up before they actually are helped.

Other options include surgery anywhere from a minimal fixing of a deviated septum all the way to surgery on the soft palate and uvula, tongue, recessed lower jaw and chin, tonsils, airways and jaw structures. With none of these guaranteed to fix OSA.

Oral Appliances are another method for treating OSA. An Oral Appliance uses your teeth in your mouth to force the lower jaw forward thus opening the airway where your tongue may be closing it off. If a CPAP machine is not working for you, ask your medical provider to recommend a dentist who has a history of making these appliances.

If you suffer from allergies and OSA your situation is not hopeless, but the first step is to realize why you may be suffering from sleepy days and headaches, then decide where you want to go from there.

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