Correcting Sleep Apnea

One of my clients has been struggling with sleep. He didn't know he had sleep apnea at the time, but this is a common situation many people find themselves in ¹ . Using his Apple Watch sleep tracker and considering other symptoms he was experiencing, I was able to narrow it down to sleep apnea. And knowing how much he was suffering, I wanted to get him better quality sleep right away, unlike his doctor.

And even if you do have a competent doctor, it can take weeks or months to get in for a sleep study, which is required for a CPAP prescription.

So let me show you what we did to go from this:

To this

In a matter of days

And this is so important to fix because sleep apnea can do more than disrupt sleep; it increases oxidative stress ², CRP ³ ⁴, causes overactive bladder  ⁵ ⁶ ,  including Nocturia, which is the need to urinate at night, and of course lower testosterone levels ⁷.

How to improve obstructive sleep apnea.

Step 1

• Lay on your right side as much as possible. Right sided sleeping is found to reduce apnea-hypopnea index ⁸ . 

Step 2

• Inclining the head of your bed also helps to keep airways open more  ⁹ . You can place some objects underneath the head side of your mattress to elevate it slightly.

Step 3

• Inspiratory muscle training can improve sleep quality and reduce blood pressure in patients with sleep apnea ¹⁰. .It also improves COPD, diaphragmatic thickness, cognition, and endurance/cardiovascular performance ¹¹. 

While the above are my main 3 tips, there may be more things that apply to you. For instance:

• Weight loss, if you are overweight, improves sleep apnea¹². The missing link, the ultimate nutrition system for peak male health is a great place to start. 

• Opiates can lead to central sleep apnea. In one patient on methadone, switching to suboxone, improved his CSA¹³.

• Naltrexone and opioid antagonist also improves sleep apnea by decreasing waking events ¹⁴.

My client's sleep is still not perfect every night, and there are some other things contributing, such as nasal polyp inflammation and allergies. We are currently implementing solutions for these issues as well. However, his sleep on average has noticeably improved, and achieving these results from lifestyle modifications alone is massive.

So if you know anyone struggling with sleep apnea, share this article with them and let me know if it helps!

Listening to my clients' problems with close attention to detail is one of my strengths as a retired engineer, and prescribing the most optimal solutions possible is what I do with my coaching.

Unleash your vigor and conquer your limits!

Brenden Henry