Will My Sleep Apnea Go Away If I Lose Weight?
If you have mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea, then losing weight might solve your sleep apnea problem. However, there’s also a chance that you could continue to experience apnea events.
While weight is a risk factor for obstructive sleep apnea, it’s a complicated condition. Excess weight often does cause oral and throat tissue to block the airway while lying down, and losing weight often does reduce the severity of sleep apnea symptoms. But losing weight can’t solve other anatomical issues that could be at play, such as a misaligned bite or abnormal jaw structure.
In any case, if your doctor believes it would be safe for you to lose weight in order to help manage your sleep apnea, we’d be happy to facilitate another sleep test so you can know for sure whether your symptoms improve.
How Soon After Starting Sleep Apnea Treatment Will I Notice Improvement?
It depends – everyone’s a little different. If you have severe obstructive sleep apnea, for example, it may take a bit longer to notice improvement than if your symptoms were mild or moderate. Some patients are also more sensitive to changes in their sleep routine than others, and might need more time to get used to their oral appliance or CPAP.
Generally speaking, though, many patients start sleeping better with CPAP after a few weeks, and those wearing an oral appliance often feel more rested after three-to-five days. If you’d like to confirm your progress, we can conduct another sleep test and compare your current results to your pre-treatment results.
Are There At-Home Remedies for Sleep Apnea?
At-home remedies like essential oils, weighted blankets, and nightly yoga can help you relax and sleep more deeply. They can’t, however, address the underlying cause of obstructive sleep apnea. Professional treatment with CPAP, oral appliance, or combined therapy will have the most impact on your sleep quality.
That said, if you are interested in incorporating some at-home remedies into your sleep routine, we’d be happy to give you recommendations! After all, sleep hygiene is complex. It could be that taking advantage of both at-home and professional solutions is what you need to both feel ready for sleep and breathe easy.
Is Sleep Apnea Diagnosis and Treatment Covered by Insurance?
Since sleep apnea is considered a medical condition, both diagnosis and treatment are typically covered by medical insurance. To get a specific idea of how much coverage you can expect, contact our team. We can use your medical insurance plan information to verify your benefits and potential costs.
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