Posted on Thursday, May 11th, 2017 at 9:38 pm    

man yawning in bedSleep apnea is a serious condition that can have lasting side effects if left untreated. If you have sleep apnea, your breathing may stop completely for short periods during the night. This stoppage can be disastrous because without the proper amount of oxygen reaching your brain and blood stream, parts of your body can experience immense stress and consequently develop harmful conditions, high blood pressure, Alzheimer’s disease, and a shortened lifespan.

Some people choose not to see a medical professional about their sleep apnea and decide instead to try treating their condition on their own. While some lifestyle changes can help improve your sleep apnea, failure to see a sleep therapist can aggravate your condition and lead to serious consequences. The following are three reasons why you should not try to treat your sleep apnea on your own.

Misdiagnosing the Cause

Losing weight and cutting down on alcohol consumption are common starting points for treating sleep apnea, and you will most likely find these changes recommended on almost any page about sleep apnea. While these can be helpful in treating your sleep apnea, they can also be completely unrelated to your condition. Dental alignment, the anatomy of your throat, stress, and sleeping position can all be contributing to your sleep apnea, and these factors will not necessarily change along with your diet. A sleep specialist has handled many cases like yours and will able to identify the cause of your sleep apnea quickly and effectively in order to provide the proper treatment.

Treatments That Waste Your Time

Small changes in your lifestyle can have a big impact on your sleeping condition, but over-the-counter products that promise to fix all your sleeping problems instantly will generally not help you. Sleeping medications and similar products can actually aggravate your sleep apnea and make it worse. A generic product from the drug store cannot address your specific problems, but a qualified sleep specialist will work with you to design the perfect treatment for your sleep apnea.

Sleep Apnea is Serious

Sleep apnea has many serious consequences, but with the proper treatment, you can turn the clock back on your condition and stop the development of harmful conditions. While you spend your time on alternative self-administered methods that don’t actually treat your sleep apnea, your condition is worsening. It is important to visit a skilled sleep therapy specialist as soon as possible in order to prevent potential health problems from developing.

Contact a Sleep Specialist at Silent Night Therapy

At Silent Night Therapy, we will meet with you and listen to your needs to develop the proper action for you. With the correct treatment, you will experience comfortable sleep while also treating your sleep apnea. You will be amazed at the results of your treatment, so please don’t hesitate to contact our offices at (631) 983-2463 to schedule an appointment.