I was working with a client recently to help boost their business. He was coming across strange!
In the mornings, he was groggy, tired, unresponsive and always complained of a headache. It’s hard to concentrate on the juicy stuff and get people motivated when they seem half asleep.
After a lot of digging, we discovered he is suffering from sleep apnea. Basically, he was not sleeping properly most of the night and was waking up tired and lacking motivation. Sleep apnea is a nightmare. You basically forget to breathe and catch yourself not breathing and then you suddenly remember to breathe! Some people can do this hundreds of times a night! And many people don’t even know they are suffering from sleep apnea!
One of the signs is a slight headache upon waking up, the other is tiredness even though you have (seemingly) had a full night’s sleep.
The doctor’s cure for his sleep apnea was some crazy oxygen device! He didn’t want that.
Look, if you have sleep apnea, you need to see a doctor. Personally, I avoid doctors so we tried to find some natural solutions for his sleep apnea and they worked. Here I will share them with you.
1. Vitamin B1
People who suffer from sleep apnea are often deficient in vitamin B1. Get yourself a Vitamin B1 supplement ASAP!
2. Strengthen your tongue
Yes, your tongue is getting tired and getting in the way of your breathing at night! You need to get working on your tongue and get it strong, so it doesn’t obstruct your airways at night. There are plenty of tongue exercises on YouTube. You will stick your tongue out to the front, down, up and sides for several seconds. You can also push against a spoon with your tongue and hold for 20 seconds.
3. Learn to keep your mouth shut!
Another one is to train your mouth and jaw areas to get stronger and remain shut. Again, Youtube has exercises, such as holding a spoon in your mouth for 20 seconds and then longer as you build strength - even putting a small object on it.
4. Get rid of excess phlegm
Try and reduce your dairy and wheat intake to clear your sinuses a bit.
5. Sinus clearance massages
You can massage several areas of your face, such as just under your eyes and on the sides of the nose to clear the sinuses.
6. Sleep positions
Try and sleep to the side and ideally on your left side; this will help with sleep apnea, clearing passages and even digestion. Also get a decent pillow, not too soft and not too hard, not too high and not too low.
7. Don’t eat late
Eating late is a big no-no when you have sleep apnea. Make sure your last meal is 3-4 hours before sleep and then just drink water to keep hydrated.
8. Stay away from alcohol
Alcohol and excess caffeine are also big no-nos when it comes to sleep apnea. This particular mentoring client of mine was a big alcohol drinker.
9. Lose weight NOW
Being overweight and in particular having a chin and belly are very much contributing factors to sleep apnea. You need to lose weight NOW. My client wasn’t particularly fat but he did have a double chin and a belly. I put him on Fat Stripper Intense and Fat Stripper Pro Burn ASAP.
10. Stop snoring
Snoring is often a precursor to developing sleep apnea. You need to keep an eye on it by doing the above. You can also get some of the various snoring devices you can get from Amazon or pharmacies such as nose vents which will help you breathe better and can help sleep apnea.
11. Stress and anxiety
Stress and anxiety are also big causes of sleep apnea, so if you are anxious or stressed, you need to get on top of your stress levels. You may need to learn detachment, meditation and maybe try some yoga.
12. Neck/Spinal issues
Worth noting that if you have neck or upper back pain or issues, this may affect your nerves and breathing, so it is well worth trying to fix any neck problems.
Any sort of parasympathetic nerve problems whether from the neck or from vitamin deficiency (B1) should be addressed.
13. Pay attention to hydration/dryness
Hydrating your body is important, so drink plenty of water. On the subject of hydration and dryness, it is also worth noting that the air in your room should not be dry. You may find your sleep apnea worse in the winter, possibly because of the extra heating/radiators which don't help with air in your room. Try and reduce the heat, open windows and maybe invest in a humidifier.
I hope the above help you as much as they did my client. The point is that sleep apnea is a real problem and affects millions of people worldwide. It can affect every aspect of your life from resting to immune function, fat burning, muscle building and mood. It can also affect your partner if you snore or you keep waking up. The very best of luck to you in conquering sleep apnea.
