DEAR Dr. Fritz,
I have had trouble sleeping for more than a year now. Almost always, I am short of sleep. I feel gasping for air in between my sleep. I went to my doctor and just been diagnosed lately with sleep apnea.
I have some issues I need to resolve. Is this something that I need to worry about? Can this go away on its own? Are there things that I need to change? Or are there home remedies that can help me?
Thanks for your help and more power!
Rambo 2022
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Dear Rambo 2022,
Sleep apnea is not something that you just won’t care about. It predisposes you to cardiovascular accidents or stroke. In fact, the more severe your sleep apnea is, the greater is your risk of stroke.
A study found that men with moderate to severe sleep apnea were three times more likely to have a stroke than men with mild sleep apnea or without sleep apnea.
Unfortunately, this won’t go away on its own. This is a chronic condition. Remember that our anatomy remains fixed, especially after adolescence has ended.
However, I don’t know what type of sleep apnea you have. This is important to give you better insight into your problem. If your problem is of the obstructive type, then surgery can help.
If it is of the central type, then, an underlying medical problem like heart or neuromuscular disorder should be treated. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) remains an effective treatment.
Of course, there are home remedies that can help you whether it is of the obstructive or central or mixed type. Here are some ways to ease your problem.
1. Lose excess weight
Excess weight can constrict your throat, so losing some of your weight can help relieve the constriction.
Opps! We have more things to talk about. Let’s talk more about this in the next issue. Until then!
Dr. Fritz
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(Dr. Fritz Legarde Espedilla is an aesthetic dermatologist and surgeon and a clinical sexologist. She is also trained in hypnotherapy and Medical Acupuncture. She has been in the broadcast media for more than a decade and has written a book based on her 15 year stint with her radio program, “Healthy is Sexy Secrets ni Dr. Fritz.” For your questions, you may email to dokfritz@yahoo.com. If you don’t wish your letter to be published, we regret that we cannot answer them. Thank you for your understanding.)