The good news is that, with proper diagnosis, effective treatments for sleep apnea are available. Those who suspect they have sleep apnea are encouraged to keep a sleep diary in which they or a family member tracks frequency and volume of snoring, sleep quality, trouble breathing, and other sleep issues. Their physician can use the information to help determine the appropriateness of additional testing for sleep apnea—usually an overnight sleep study in a sleep clinic.
Treatment decisions are based on the individual's medical history and the severity of the disorder. For minor sleep apnea, lifestyle changes are often effective. These include losing weight, avoiding alcohol, and quitting smoking. Sleeping on one's side, elevating the head of the bed 4 to 6 inches, and using nasal dilators can help. For people who suffer from allergies and sinus conditions, treating those conditions first may result in better sleep.
For moderate sleep apnea, the most common treatment is the use of a machine that maintains continuous positive airway pressure in the nasal passages. The machine pushes air through the nasal passages at a pressure high enough to keep the airway open during sleep, preventing lapses of breathing to give users a more restful night's sleep. Dental devices that open the airway by bringing the lower jaw or tongue forward during sleep also have proved effective.
In severe cases of sleep apnea, surgery to increase the size of the airway is an option. This includes removal of tonsils, adenoids, or excess tissue at the back of the throat or inside the nose, or reconstruction of the jaw to enlarge the upper airway.