How to Help Your Family Member Dealing with Sleep Apnea

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Many older adults suffer from sleep apnea, and caregivers are frequently the primary first people who assist them. Helping with a sleep disorder frequently requires you to perform your daily tasks after being awake all night. Following these sleep apnea treatment tactics will make assisting your elderly loved one easier.

Help Your Seniors to Maintain A Healthy Weight

Overweight seniors are more prone to have problems with their sleeping. The majority of persons suffering from sleep apnea are overweight, meaning you might have some latitude in helping your loved one improve their health. Begin assisting them in developing a healthy eating and activity regimen.

Cutting excess weight makes it easier for people to breathe well during their sleep. Some seniors require assistance in maintaining a balanced diet and exercising regularly. Aging folks who require help with daily duties can benefit from dependable home care services.

Make a Late-night Care Plan

Although CPAP devices are considerably quieter, they can still interfere with sleep at night. Your loved one may wake up frequently due to sleep apnea episodes and struggle to fall asleep. It's time to list the help of a different caregiver if your loved one's sleep issues keep you up at night. With the awareness that someone will be there to soothe your loved ones when they wake up during the night, you can sleep better and handle your responsibilities during the day. Making a late-night care plan is an excellent alternative to a CPAP machine.

Best Sleeping Position (Side)

A body positioning pillow or any similar item is one of the most prevalent ways to home treatments for sleep apnea. Such positioners prevent people from resting on their backs. People experiencing obstructive sleep apnea are more prone to episodes when sleeping on their back. A side sleeping backpack, a vest-like cloth with a protruding section on the back, is an excellent example. If you try to roll over onto your back while wearing a backpack, you'll hold the position and have to flip to the other direction.

Many people create their position by strapping a tennis ball or other items to their back to prevent them from shifting while sleeping. In one short trial, however, half of the subjects snored more often when the positioner was used. Because chronic snoring can harm the tissues in the airways, this may not be the best approach for all.

Adjust the Head of the Bed

Sleeping with your bed's head at around a 60-degree angle will help lessen the number of apnea attacks. This method could help people with sleep apnea that escalates when they sleep on their back yet find it hard to sleep. Sleeping in a chair or a bed with an adjustable upper section will allow people to achieve this posture. They can also utilize cushions or buy a body cushion for their torso to hold their head raised.

Avoid or Limit Some Activities At Night

People who have sleep apnea should avoid drinking caffeine or alcohol at night since it can interfere with their breathing while they sleep. Alcohol is a depressant on the CNS (central nervous system); it may lead your loved one to have more apnea attacks at night. For your loved one to breathe better, they should avoid eating heavy meals and rigorous physical exercise a few hours before sleep- three hours.

Assistance With Sleep Apnea Devices Cleaning

Numerous sufferers of sleep apnea utilize specialized equipment to keep their airways open. Mouthpieces are made to retain the tongue and jaw in a particular posture. Your loved one may use a CPAP machine to widen the airways and increase the amount of air reaching the lungs. Both of these tools are reliable and secure, but to keep the surfaces free of mold and germs, they must be carefully cleaned.

This facet of senior care may be challenging for the patient, particularly if the patient has memory loss or mobility issues. Offering assistance throughout this crucial day will help avoid lung and mouth infections. At times, taking care of an elderly senior might feel overwhelming.

Bottom Line

A person's physical health and quality of life may be affected by the condition of sleep apnea. Home therapies, such as healthy lifestyle adjustments and sleeping with a head up, may help lessen apnea episodes. One should contact a doctor if they have moderate or severe sleep apnea. They will most likely need to use a CPAP machine to support their breathing.