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Your Sleep Apnea Treatment Center for the DC/MD/VA Metro Area

Better Sleep Hotline:
(301) 656-8630
8:30 AM to 4:30 PM EST

Lifestyle Options

What are some non surgical, lifestyle changes options to treat Sleep Apnea?

  • Weight loss
  • Exercise
  • Good sleep hygiene
  • Positional sleeping
  • CPAP

Am I at risk?

Studies show that individuals with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 27 are at increased risk of having apnea. Therefore, decreasing one’s BMI to < 27 would either lessen the risk of having apnea, or would decrease the degree of apnea.

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What are some common cure options for me?

  • Sleeping on the side usually results in less snoring, and less apnea, as opposed to sleeping on the back.
  • Sleeping on the back usually increases the chance that the tongue or the soft palate will flop or fall backwards and obstruct the airway.
  • Good sleep hygiene: Being disciplined about having a regular sleep schedule and a regular bed time to fall asleep can improve sleep hygiene.
  • Maintaining a disciplined and regular exercise regimen helps with sleep hygiene.
  • Bedroom conditions: The bedroom should be dark, quiet, and well-ventilated. There should be no noise or distractions in the bedroom.

What things should I avoid?

  • beautiful-coupleAvoiding exercise, alcohol, caffeine and other stimulants at bedtime will improve sleep hygiene.
  • Quit smoking: smokers are twice as likely to have apnea compared with non smokers.
  • Activities such as reading in bed or watching TV can stimulate the brain and impede sleep hygiene, so these activities should be avoided when going to be.
  • Minimize day-time naps. If one must nap, keep the nap time to less than 30 minutes.

About Us

If you or someone you know is in need of a better night’s sleep, contact us for a no obligation consultation. We are the sleep specialists at Chevy Chase ENT located in the Virginia, Maryland, and Washington D.C. metro area dealing with sleep apnea and sleep-related problems.  We can help diagnose your condition, recommend whether a sleep study would be beneficial, and offer you a variety of treatment options including CPAPRadio Frequency Ablation (RFA) and more.