Sleep apnea isn’t officially recognized as a disability, but it can be considered one in certain situations. Its classification depends on several factors, including its severity and the kind of impact it has on your daily life–particularly, your ability to work.

In this article, we’ll explore symptoms of sleep apnea, how it can impact your ability to function, and recommend the best sleep apnea solution book.

What Is Sleep Apnea?

You could be suffering from sleep apnea if you often wake up in the middle of your sleep feeling like someone is trying to suffocate you. This sleep disorder causes you to snore and gasp for air repeatedly, preventing you from getting quality sleep.

Continuous lack of sufficient sleep leads to other serious problems like insomnia, daytime sleepiness, and prolonged exhaustion. Your productivity at work will suffer greatly if you’re always dozing off while you’re on the clock.

If you have this condition, you most likely want to know how it will impact your life and how you can overcome it. What does sleep apnea sound like? What is the latest treatment for sleep apnea? Is sleep apnea a disability? 

If your work requires your full concentration, constant sleepiness and exhaustion will make it difficult for you to do your job. In this case, you may want to know if you qualify for disability benefits.

How to Determine If Sleep Apnea Is a Disability

There are several ways to determine if your sleep apnea can classify as a disability, including:

Medical Diagnosis

See a licensed medical doctor for a proper diagnosis. Your doctor will carry out several sleep studies and overnight evaluations of your breathing patterns and other physical behaviors of your body during sleep.

These tests are normally completed at sleep centers or medical facilities that offer sleep apnea testing. You can also find books on effective ways to diagnose and overcome sleep apnea.

Choose a book that offers practical ideas on how to cure sleep apnea naturally at home without a CPAP machine and how to boost natural and easy breathing at night. Optimal Circadian Health offers an ebook complete with audio-guided breathing exercises.

Severity of the Condition

The severity of your condition and its impact on your daily life, cognitive function, and ability to work are important factors. Severe sleep apnea that significantly disrupts your normal life and daily activities may be considered a disability.

In this case, you may qualify for disability benefits. However, your condition must fall under the official definition of disability by the Social Security Administration (SSA). Your medical records must indicate that the condition will last for at least a year or likely cause death. 

Records

You need a comprehensive medical record, including test and evaluation results, medical history, and reports from your doctor showing that you suffer from severe sleep apnea.

This record is essential when you want to file for a disability claim. The SSA will use these documents to determine your eligibility.

Legal Definitions

It’s good to be aware of what the law says about sleep apnea and disability claims. For instance, the SSA provides specific procedures and guidelines for what can be considered a disability.

Your sleep apnea disorder may qualify if it meets these conditions and severely prevents you from performing your daily activities effectively.

Workplace Accommodations

Even if your sleep apnea isn’t legally recognized as a disability, the law may require your employer to provide you with a conducive working environment. For instance, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires employers to make their workplaces favorable for employees with sleep apnea, especially if it significantly affects their job performance.

In Summary

Every case of sleep apnea is unique, and the determination of whether your diagnosis qualifies as a disability depends on the circumstances and applicable laws in your region. For more ideas on how to overcome sleep apnea naturally, check out Optimal Circadian Health’s resources today!

CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machines are commonly used to manage the symptoms of sleep apnea. They work by helping to keep your airways open, with the aim of improving sleep quality and reducing the risks of serious secondary conditions.

However, many people dislike using a CPAP and prefer to learn actionable breathing techniques, incorporating exercises into a regular evening routine to help overcome sleep apnea and avoid interventions or surgeries. The issue for many is that a CPAP can be awkward to use, create a claustrophobic sensation, be difficult to use when traveling, or cause personal issues, where sleeping with a mask is less than ideal, or partners find the ongoing noise disruptive.

Finding the best sleep apnea solution ensures comfort and confidence, as well as the ability to proactively promote healthy, natural sleep without needing to use a mask or device every night.

Common Reasons for Looking at Alternatives to Promote Healthy Sleep Without a CPAP

CPAP machines are a conventional way to try and reduce the symptoms of sleep apnea, but they can produce unwanted side effects, in addition to being uncomfortable to use. These can include:

• Nosebleeds
• Congestion
• A runny nose
• Dry mouth
• Skin irritation

Adding a heated humidifier is sometimes thought to help. However, with an ever-increasing number of machines and devices creating distracting noises, this could further disrupt your sleep pattern or cause inconvenience to your loved one or spouse.

Some people also find that a CPAP is ineffective, commonly because they have a deviated septum or other irregularity in their nose, which means they breathe through their mouth.

What is the newest treatment for sleep apnea, and can you avoid using a CPAP? Innovations in sleep apnea approaches increasingly mean that dependence on a CPAP is not the only option, giving sleep apnea sufferers a choice over how they enhance natural sleep.

Learning Breathing Techniques as a Sleep Apnea Approach

Part of the complexity of using a CPAP for sleep apnea is that although the device may help maintain open airways, it is not a resolution, nor can it fix the underlying issue. Clinical trials have shown that a third of people fail an initial CPAP trial. Likewise, surgical procedures intended to help improve the symptoms of sleep apnea have been shown to be fully successful just 43% of the time, leading many people to be reluctant to undergo surgery with a less-than-guaranteed outcome.

The answer is to learn how to activate slower, controlled, and natural breathing, which can help keep your airways open without requiring a machine. This helps overcome sleep apnea by combatting the faster breathing that is typical when our bodies try to overcome a shortage of oxygen. This draws the tongue into the airway, creating a further blockage that exacerbates the effect of a narrow airway.

Unlike a mouthguard, tape, CPAP, or sleep apnea pillow, following a breathing routine can actively slow the breaths you take without discomfort, noise, or intrusions.

Finding the Best Ways to Address or Reduce the Impacts of Sleep Apnea

Is sleep apnea a disability? The Social Security Administration does not list sleep apnea as a disability, although some more serious breathing disorders linked to or caused by sleep apnea may fall under the criteria. Accessing natural, noninvasive, nonsurgical breathing techniques can help restore healthy sleep, provide independence from a CPAP if you are already using one, and provide long-term relief from fatigue, brain fog, stress, and related health problems.

Sleep Apnea Solution, an ebook available on-demand, provides further information about breathing routines, the root causes of sleep apnea, the value of nutrition, your sleep environment, regulation of your nervous system, and upgrading your circadian system!

Every conventional solution to sleep apnea has pros and cons, with variable success rates or options that are suited only to some people. The latest innovation, as outlined in our ebook, Sleep Apnea Solution, is to access proven, research-backed breathing exercises and routines, which teach you how to activate slower, calmer breathing throughout the night.

We speak with countless people who are looking at how to cure sleep apnea naturally at home without CPAP machines or other surgical interventions. We recognize that a natural, noninvasive, and holistic approach is often more affordable, convenient, and comfortable.

This technique is based on a clinical understanding of the underlying factors that trigger sleep disturbances. A combination of good nutrition, positive sleep environments, and active breathing routines can deliver great outcomes, even for long-term sleep apnea sufferers.

Conventional Options to Reduce the Symptoms of Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a prevalent condition, and some practitioners will suggest that lifestyle changes, like reducing alcohol intake, rebalancing your diet, and trying to lose weight, may help. The reality is that although these health-focused efforts may have positive impacts, they might not produce the results you want.

We’ll recap some of the typical devices, surgeries, and treatments often suggested to ensure you have a full understanding of your options.

CPAP Machines

CPAP machines are worn with a mask that covers your nose and mouth during sleep, pumping air into the mask. Each device comes with:

• Straps that hold the mask in place
• A tube connecting to the machine
• An air filter

The mask and tube should be replaced and cleaned regularly. You should also take the device with you when traveling and use it during any periods of sleep, including naps. One of the downsides of a CPAP is discomfort, alongside the disruption of having a motor functioning throughout the night. CPAPs may not be suited to some people, including those with a deviated septum.

Can a deviated septum cause sleep apnea? No–a deviated septum cannot prompt sleep apnea. However, this may mean you are not a candidate for a CPAP machine since these devices are less appropriate for people who breathe primarily through their mouths.

Inspire Surgery For Sleep Apnea

Inspire Therapy is gaining attention as a new treatment option for sleep apnea. This method involves an electronic device implanted in the chest, with a wire running through the neck to the throat muscles. 

After a healing period of one to two months, the device is activated to stimulate the airway muscles at night. However, this process requires working closely with a surgical team to fine-tune the electrostimulation over three to twelve months. While Inspire Therapy may seem convenient, it involves periodic surgical revisions and the risk of being woken up by the electrostimulation, making the path to better sleep a long and complicated journey.

Despite its promotion, Inspire Therapy’s effectiveness is debated. Research and patient feedback highlight that only about half of the users respond favorably, with many experiencing complications or needing further adjustments. 

This selective reporting can be misleading, showcasing a 60% improvement by excluding non-responders, while the actual improvement rate is around 30%. It’s crucial to look beyond the marketing and understand these nuances to make informed decisions about sleep apnea treatments, prioritizing fewer risks and side effects.

Gum Shields or Mouthguards

Mandibular advancement devices, or ‘sleep apnea gum shields,’ are sometimes used to hold the airway open during sleep. Most mouthguards must be custom-made to fit and can either:

• Cover both your upper and lower teeth to stop the jaw from blocking the airway
• Retain your tongue, holding it forward to stop it from falling back

The obvious drawback is that many find mouthguards uncomfortable, and the sensation of having your jaw or tongue held in place can make it harder to relax and sleep.

Sleep Apnea Surgery

Surgeries are sometimes used when there is a notable airway blockage, such as large tonsils. A surgical team might also use a procedure called uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, where the surgeon widens the airway by removing tissue.

Other surgeries, like hypoglossal nerve stimulation, involve implanting a device that stimulates nerves during each breathing cycle. Surgical interventions often require an overnight hospital stay since they are performed under general anesthetic, with varying recovery times and risk factors to consider.

Learn More About the Sleep Apnea Solution as an Alternative 

The breathing routines outlined earlier are one of many resources within Sleep Apnea Solution–an instant-access downloadable book packed with information, suggestions, and added-value content, from recipes to audio tracks and user-friendly checklists.

If you’re looking to find the newest sleep apnea approach, have tried other options that have not proven successful, or want to avoid CPAP, surgery, or a mouthguard, the ebook is available to download now!

A deviated septum is quite a common issue. Although it doesn’t always pose a problem, if you have sleep apnea, a misalignment in your nose could mean that some conventional breathing devices, including a CPAP, might have limited effects.

However, despite a fair amount of misinformation, deviated septums cannot cause sleep apnea directly, nor is this the sole reason you might develop sleep disturbances or issues with breathing. Part of the confusion is that differences in your nasal function can, indeed, mean that a CPAP is less suitable. Researchers have found that a deviated septum might need to be treated before a CPAP would be recommended. 

However, if the problem is bad enough, a narrow nasal passageway can cause your body to breathe faster at night. As a result, this will pull the walls of your airway and tongue together to block off the airway. 

The peer-reviewed author of Sleep Apnea Solution, Dr. Dylan Petkus, provides further guidance, information, and practical insights into sleep apnea within the book, alongside actionable tips and exercises to promote easier nighttime breathing.

How Does a Deviated Septum Impact Sleep Apnea Symptoms?

Many people want to know how to reduce sleep apnea without reliance on surgical or medical interventions or wish to avoid the long-term usage of a CPAP. Although CPAP masks are widely used, they aren’t effective or comfortable for everybody, and may be unsuitable for some people due to:

• Complications with natural breathing functions
• Unwanted side effects
• Ineffectiveness due to the structure of the person’s airway or nose

Most of the time, a deviated septum is something you are born with, although injuries to your nose, often due to sports, can mean that the bone and cartilage within your nose are uneven on each side.

The important point to make is that a deviated septum does not and cannot prompt sleep apnea. Instead, an obstruction already exists in the passage to your upper airway, and although sleep apnea may be more evident, the deviated septum is not the cause.

What Can I Do to Help Overcome Sleep Apnea if I Have a Deviated Septum?

Our approach is based on intensive studies into the underlying cause of sleep apnea–rather than trying to address the symptoms or find alternative ways to enhance your breathing patterns as you sleep. Having a deviated septum can mean that the speed and pace at which you breathe to compensate for a narrow or obstructed airway are more exaggerated. This can leave you short of breath and physically tired and prompt your airway muscles to close even tighter.

Why Shouldn’t I Use a CPAP for Sleep Apnea With a Deviated Septum?

The primary concern with using CPAP devices is that if you have a deviated septum, you are likely to breathe through your mouth, not your nose. Existing blockages in the nasal passages commonly prompt this type of breathing, which makes it easier to get a full breath, but also means a CPAP may be ineffective.

A good technique, as outlined in the downloadable ebook we’ve mentioned, is to take a big-picture approach to boost natural breathing by:

• Practicing breathing routines
• Activating slower breathing to keep your airways open
• Maintaining a calm, healthy sleep schedule and environment
• Addressing any nutritional deficiencies exacerbating sleep apnea symptoms

The major benefit is the lack of medications, devices, machines, or surgeries while taking action to promote better sleep and feel more energized every morning.

What is the newest treatment for sleep apnea? Some of the latest approaches involve surgical implants, although it is wise to consider anything labeled as ‘new’ with caution and to seek independent guidance from your physician before investing in any service or intervention that may not meet your expectations.

There are two potential routes to pursue if you want to promote healthy sleep and help lower the impacts of sleep apnea on your rest: natural, noninvasive techniques and medical interventions.

While both options should be subject to your own decisions and objectives, Sleep Apnea Solution, an affordable resource published by an accomplished medical professional, has uncovered new, innovative, and holistic ways to enhance the quality of nighttime breathing and get to the root cause of your symptoms. By retraining your breathing to be slower and calmer, you can either lower your reliance on sleep devices such as a CPAP machine or avoid needing medications or even surgery to get a good night’s rest.

The Main Causes of Sleep Apnea: Frequently Asked Questions

Sleep apnea affects as many as 34% of men and 17% of women–but it is also often misunderstood. Below, we’ve myth-busted some common misconceptions.

• Is there a cure for sleep apnea? No; some physicians suggest surgery, muscle relaxants, and other interventions, but as yet, no one cure will be appropriate for all.
• Can losing weight cure sleep apnea? No; if weight is a factor that increases pressure on your airway, losing weight may help lower your symptoms. However, weight loss alone cannot definitively cure sleep apnea.
• Can a deviated septum cause sleep apnea? No; a deviated septum, where your nasal cavities are different sizes or have blockages caused by bone or cartilage, cannot cause sleep apnea to develop. This might, though, influence the options that are suitable for you.

The common thread with all these answers is a ‘no’ because sleep apnea can be complex, person-specific, and linked to hundreds of potential contributing factors or causes. There is no universal cure or solution, which is why activating healthier breathing is such a breakthrough. This can be effective for anybody and help to augment sleep and rest patterns without medications, clumsy devices, or uncomfortable masks and mouthguards.

What Is the Advantage of a Natural Way to Help Overcome Sleep Apnea?

It is impossible to overstate the impact sleep apnea can have on your life, where you wake up every day feeling tired, foggy, and stressed, experience ongoing fatigue and low energy levels, are concerned about your weight or heart health or find yourself struggling with devices and masks. Natural breathing activations can promote better nighttime breathing without any machines, medications, or surgeries, with a number of clear benefits:

• No risk of side effects or reactions
• The peace of sleeping without a mask, mouthguard, or device
• No inconvenience, discomfort, or awkwardness for you or your partner
• No downtime following surgery or treatment

We recommend a series of strategies and tried-and-tested approaches for sleep apnea. These can help you learn impactful breathing routines, establish a great sleep environment, augment your nutrition, and boost your natural breathing.

The Sleep Apnea Solution ebook is accessible and available immediately. It is packed with research-backed resources, including a Sleep Apnea Assessment, knowledge, and guidance alongside audio tracks and the CPAP Freedom Roadmap. It will meet you wherever you are in your sleep apnea journey and show you the natural way forward!

We recognize that myths and misconceptions about ‘cures’ for sleep apnea can be appealing, confusing, and potentially a bit misleading. Although healthy, sustained weight loss can help boost natural breathing and is considered an effective way to reduce the severity of symptoms, the reality is that weight loss alone is not a standalone cure. In fact, research has shown that every twenty pounds of weight loss is associated with only a 10% reduction in sleep apnea severity. 

The best solution for sleep apnea is often to augment your breathing, using professional, tried-and-tested lifestyle changes and tools to help overcome disrupted rest. Today, we’ll look at how to reduce sleep apnea and the part that weight plays and share some insights to clarify the connections between diet, lifestyle, and sleep.

Sleep Apnea and Weight Loss: The Facts

Let’s start by noting that there are three main types of sleep apnea, and the value of maintaining a healthy weight is mainly applicable to obstructive sleep apnea; this is also the most common type.

During the night, the air flowing into your lungs is restricted, which can be exacerbated if the weight of your neck compresses the airway. Therefore, if you would benefit from a more healthy, active lifestyle, safe weight loss could support your efforts. However, there are caveats–as always!

• Weight loss isn’t guaranteed to reduce your sleep apnea; it could help, but it isn’t a definitive solution.
• The impacts of weight loss may differ depending on your age and gender, with most studies conducted only with male participants.
• Losing weight isn’t easy or quick. General positive lifestyle changes are a good thing. Still, it’s also essential to consult your practitioner or physician if you have other underlying health concerns–rapid, unstained weight loss can carry risks.

We often speak with people desperate to find relief from sleep apnea who want natural, non-surgical options. We’d recommend starting with our Sleep Apnea Assessment, which will give you actionable insights.

Why Is Weight Loss Often Recommended for Sleep Apnea Sufferers?

Losing weight could mean that:

• The pressure within your airway reduces
• The density of your neck and tongue lower
• The muscles lining your airways grow stronger 

It’s worth reiterating that weight loss isn’t a cure, but if your sleep apnea is linked to weight and fatty deposits, healthy weight loss may help reduce hormonal fluctuations and ease your symptoms. An issue is often that, even after losing weight, sleep apnea is unlikely to disappear if the underlying cause remains. The key is to learn how to activate slower, natural breathing that keeps your airways open and allows you to rest calmly and sleep deeply.

Is Sleep Apnea Associated With Weight Gain?

We know that insufficient sleep is linked with higher instances of obesity, reduced fat loss even in a calorie deficit, and overeating, making it important to support easier nighttime breathing alongside efforts to modify your diet.

Can sleep apnea cause weight gain? Potentially, it can. If you’re fatigued, badly rested, and experiencing brain fog, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll try to combat those feelings with snacking or find that your appetite increases as a side effect of disrupted sleep.

Focusing on your health and lifestyle, becoming more active, and eating a higher-protein diet can undoubtedly be helpful, but the biggest benefits occur when you take a holistic approach. Our Sleep Apnea Solution ebook includes further guidance, including information about augmenting your sleep environment and resetting your nervous system and breathing routines, which, alongside healthy nutrition, can enhance natural sleep without medical or surgical interventions.

Restless nights and loud snoring brought on by sleep apnea can result in unwanted side effects. For one, when you sleep less, you are often prone to gaining weight. The more weight you carry, the worse your sleep apnea condition may become. 

If you’re searching for a solution for sleep apnea, look no further. In this article, we’ll break down the connection between sleep apnea and weight gain and provide some healthy lifestyle choices to consider when trying to overcome your sleep disorder.

Sleep Apnea and Weight Gain

At a time when you’re already struggling to breathe correctly, being overweight can further restrict your airways due to a buildup of fat. This can worsen your sleep apnea.

According to Healthline, gaining weight is likely when dealing with sleep apnea. The disorder can significantly impact daily functioning and hormone levels. 

We know you have lots of questions. Can losing weight cure sleep apnea? How does sleep apnea impact your weight? Here are a few ways a sleep disorder can impact your weight:

• You may find yourself hungrier for longer.
• Less sleep means less energy for exercise.
• Your hormones may be out of whack.
• You may develop a slower metabolism and find it harder to burn calories.
• Higher levels of stress and cortisol can influence weight gain.

Can sleep apnea cause high blood pressure? Yes–medical experts at Mayo Clinic claim that constant interruptions to nighttime rest can cause your oxygen levels to drop, and this can contribute to higher-than-normal blood pressure. You may find that your blood pressure rises more often at night, which can also be common for those with sleep apnea.

How Weight Loss Can Help

While it may not completely cure your sleep apnea, losing weight can certainly help your sleep apnea and overall health. Its success varies depending on each person’s underlying health and the severity and type of sleep apnea. 

If losing weight is something you’d like to try, the American Thoracic Society suggests that losing as little as 5% to 10% of your body weight can help with sleep apnea. Eating a balanced diet, getting regular exercise, and limiting your alcohol or tobacco use are also important to consider. Of course, before you begin a weight loss program, it’s always a good idea to discuss options you’d like to pursue with your doctor first.

Catching Your Breath (The Natural Way)

Dr. Dylan Petkus struggled with obstructive sleep apnea, and with the right breathing exercises, he’s now sleeping through the night. His success is based on a process he details in his book, Sleep Apnea Solution. Dr. Petkus details how slower breathing can promote easier nighttime breathing and offers helpful resources for sleep apnea nutrition, resetting your nervous system, and making circadian routine upgrades.

If this piqued your interest, consider reading Sleep Apnea Solution. You can find it at OptimalCircadianHealth.com!

According to the Mayo Clinic, having obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can raise your risk of high blood pressure due to the sudden drops in blood oxygen levels that happen as a result of OSA. Sleep apnea can also have a significant impact on your heart. With these potential impacts on your health, it’s time to look at some sleep apnea solutions.

The Link to High Blood Pressure

OSA is common in the United States. An estimated one in four Americans is at risk of developing OSA, according to studies published by the American Heart Association (AHA). Here are a few key findings from the studies:

• Roughly half of people battling sleep apnea also deal with hypertension. Those with hard-to-treat high blood pressure often have sleep apnea. 
• The AHA found a link between how severe a person’s sleep apnea is and how their body responds to blood pressure medication. The worse the sleep apnea, the harder it can be to bring blood pressure down.
• Younger people with sleep apnea may be prone to developing systolic and diastolic hypertension. 

The AHA study also notes that getting less than five hours of sleep a night can seriously increase your chances of developing high blood pressure, especially for those under sixty. That’s why aiming for seven to eight hours of sleep per night is so critical.

Can sleep apnea cause weight gain, as well? According to Healthline, these two issues have a complex relationship and often coexist. Managing a healthy lifestyle, including eating well, can help keep your sleep apnea at bay.

Natural Approach to Sleep Apnea and High Blood Pressure

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machines and mouthpieces are among the most common solutions for sleep apnea. What if we told you there are some natural approaches you could incorporate into your daily life to help overcome your sleep apnea?

Practicing sleep apnea self-care through proper breathing techniques can help you keep your airways open at night. This, in turn, can lead to better night’s rest. 

Dr. Dylan Petkus struggled with sleep apnea himself and wrote Sleep Apnea Solution, our guide to restoring your body’s ability to breathe freely. This book includes helpful resources like a sleep environment checklist, a sleep apnea assessment, a CPAP freedom roadmap, and more. 

Check out the book at OptimalCircadianHealth.com.