Sleepers tongue may be important to reduce sleep apnea

Sleep Apnea

According to a new study from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, a common and potentially serious sleep disorder called obstructive sleep apnea can be reduced by a slimmer tongue. Slowing down a person's tongue size was found to be a 'primary factor' to help improve sleep quality and reduce the potential health consequences associated with this disorder, which reduces the symptoms of severe sleep apnea.

How to cure sleep apnea naturally at home without cpap

Obstructive sleep apnea refers to a condition in which a person's air flow is temporarily blocked during sleep, preventing a person from breathing properly. This condition may go unnoticed in mild cases, but it can also be severe, causing a person to wake up frequently during the night, morning headaches, frequent tiredness, and more. If left untreated, this condition can cause high blood pressure, heart problems, tissue damage, and more.

Temporary treatment for obstructive sleep apnea is the use of a CPAP machine, but in many cases, weight loss can reduce or completely eliminate the severity of the condition. With the exception of those who suffer from an admitted jaw or large tonsils, the primary factor in obstructive sleep apnea was largely thought to be due to fat on one's neck.

Sleep apnea treatment

According to the new study, however, fat blockers that cause growth in the tongue may be the primary factors for sleep apnea. The findings were based on MRI scans of the upper airways in obese people suffering from this condition. As weight is lost, tongue fat may also decrease, which can reduce the severity of the condition.

The team found that people who have sleep apnea are also more likely to have 'big tongues' and more fat than those who do not suffer from sleep apnea. To some extent, the team also found that weight loss caused the muscles of the airway sideways responsible for chewing the jaw muscles and to shrink, which also helped reduce obstructive sleep apnea severity.