How Hypnotherapy Helps with Sleep Apnea

Getting to sleep and staying asleep is hard enough. But then add in that thing called breathing too and then you realize, “Oh, right. That’s also important while I’m asleep.” 

Maybe you have sleeping issues and in your case, you have this awkward snore followed by a small pause of not breathing. Have you been diagnosed with sleep apnea?

If so, you don’t have to worry. Hypnotherapy can help.

What is Sleep Apnea and What are its Symptoms?

When you are sleeping and your breathing is interrupted, this is called sleep apnea. It’s a more serious sleep disorder because without treatment, a person can stop breathing several times during their sleep for 10 seconds to 2 minutes or more. This can result in your brain and the rest of your body not getting enough oxygen. 

The two types of sleep apnea are:

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) – during sleep, the soft tissue at the back of the throat collapses due to the blockage of the airway. 

Central sleep apnea (CSA) – interruption in signals to muscles to breathe. It’s an issue in the respiratory centre of the brain, with no blockage. 

Risk Factors:

• Men are the most at risk
• Over 40, overweight, applies to both men and women
• Allergies or sinus issues can obstruct nasal airflow
• Digestive issues, causing acid reflux into the throat
• Family history

Symptoms:

• Waking with a very sore throat or choking sensation occasionally 
• Loud awkward snore
• During the day there’s a lack of energy, and possible sleepiness while driving 
• Headaches during the morning 
• Forgetfulness, changes in mood, and a noticeable lack of interest in sex
• Sometimes gasping for breath, frequently waking up during the night 

Side effects of sleep apnea to your health:

• High blood pressure, severe headaches, stroke
• Heart issues, irregular heartbeat, potential heart attack
• Stress, anxiety, depression
• High risk of diabetes

What Treats Sleep Apnea and How Can Hypnotherapy Help?

With mild cases of sleep apnea, simply changing your lifestyle up like working on losing weight, cutting back or quitting smoking, drinking less alcohol, and avoiding sleeping pills can be treatment enough. Avoiding sleeping on your back and trying other sleeping positions can help as well. 

A CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine is the most common medical treatment, which is a mask over the nose and mouth, connected to a machine delivering a constant flow of air into your nose. Newer CPAP machines have nose only masks and smaller more comfortable ones with many to choose from.

As for hypnotherapy, it’s a great tool for many who have issues with sleep apnea. It can either  help with assisting the CPAP machine for those who struggle to sleep with it, or it may help in overcoming sleep apnea altogether, depending on which type of apnea you’ve been diagnosed with. 

Your subconscious mind is powerful. It easily remembers the time you had high-quality, undisturbed sleep patterns; therefore, hypnotherapy is the best tool to access this information and bring these memories up front. Your subconscious can then gather and remove anything that may be preventing you from a good night’s sleep. 

With hypnotherapy you can do so much for your sleep apnea: 

• Learn better breathing techniques to help clear your airways 
• Find ways to change your sleeping position to arouse more comfort 
• Use your mind-body connection to improve the signals from your brain to the muscles you use to breathe
• Learn to clear your mind of casual thoughts when getting ready to sleep
• Learn to release any subconscious emotions and memories that may have been the precursor to your poor sleeping habits and sleep apnea 

Does your sleep apnea contribute to other sleeping disorders, such as paralysis? If so, feel free to explore How Hypnotherapy Can Help with Sleep Paralysis, if you or someone you know is struggling with life while this condition is present.   

And if you have any further questions about sleep apnea and how hypnosis can help you, contact me today.

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