Find out the best essential oils for sleep apnea and how to use them in this article!
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder characterized by pauses in breathing or periods of shallow breathing during sleep. These pauses can last from a few seconds to several minutes and happen many times throughout the night. As breathing resumes, a choking or snorting sound may be heard. People with sleep apnea also snore loudly. This sleep disorder disrupts a person’s normal sleeping pattern, leading to restlessness and tiredness the next day. Sleep apnea affects about 1-6% of adults and 2% of children. It affects twice as many men as women and it most commonly occurs during the ages 55-60 years old.
There are three types of sleep apnea, which include: obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), central sleep apnea (CSA) and a combination of the two together. The most common form of sleep apnea is OSA. Here, breathing is disrupted by blockage of air flow. It can be caused by many factors such as being overweight, allergies, enlarged tonsils or sleep apnea being common in one’s family. In CSA, breathing stops because of lack of effort to breathe.
A person may not realize they have sleep apnea until a family member or partner observes it. To diagnose this sleep disorder, more than 5 episodes an hour must occur.
To treat sleep apnea, lifestyle changes such as reducing weight, avoiding alcohol, stopping smoking and even sleeping on one’s side instead of facing up can be effective. Mouth pieces, breathing devices and also surgery can be performed in bad cases of sleep apnea.
How Essential Oils Work for Sleep Apnea
Another remedy one can use to naturally treat sleep apnea is essential oils! Essential oils are concentrated liquid plant extracts obtained by steam distillation or mechanical compression of the aromatic parts of plants. The leaves, stems, flowers, roots, fruit rinds and resin can be used to extract essential oils.
Essential oils can treat sleep apnea by opening by air pathways to promote easy breathing, clearing up allergies and congested nasal airways, promoting restful and deep sleep, relaxing the mind, etc. Essential oils such as eucalyptus and peppermint can be used to open up the nasal pathways and airways as well as clear up allergies, colds and cough which can disrupt breathing. Meanwhile, essential oils of lavender, marjoram, cedarwood and valerian, among others can promote deep sleep without interruptions.
Top 9 Essential Oils for Sleep Apnea
- Lavender essential oil (where to get it)
- Peppermint essential oil (where to get it)
- Eucalyptus essential oil (where to get it)
- Sweet marjoram essential oil (where to get it)
- Cedarwood essential oil (where to get it)
- Valerian essential oil (where to get it)
- Chamomile essential oil (where to get it)
- Vetiver essential oil (where to get it)
- Thyme essential oil (where to get it)
How to Use Essential Oils for Sleep Apnea
- Diffuser: Before bedtime, add 5 drops of lavender essential oil and 3 drops of peppermint essential oil to your high quality diffuser. Run it 15 minutes before you sleep to relax the mind and promote deep sleep without interruptions.
- Facial steaming: To open airways, clear sinuses and fight colds that obstruct proper breathing, carry out facial steaming with eucalyptus oil or peppermint essential oil. Simply boil 4 cups of water on the stove. Once it’s boiling, remove from heat and carefully place the pot on a table. Add 2-3 drops of eucalyptus or peppermint oil. Sit with your face right over the steaming pot. Put a towel over your head, creating a tent with your head and the pot inside. Now breathe in the refreshing steam to open up your airways.
- Pillow spray: Learn how to make a DIY essential oil pillow spray for better sleep.
- DIY Vapor Rub: Vapor rub can be easily made to clear your respiratory system and promote good sleep. Simply melt down ¼ cup shea butter and ¼ cup coconut oil in a double boiler. Once melted, remove from heat and allow it to cool a bit before adding 7 drops eucalyptus oil, 7 drops lavender essential oil and 7 dropssweet marjoram oil. Stir and pour into glass jars. Rub the cream onto your throat, chest and back before bed.
Which essential oils for sleep apnea are you planning to use? Do you have any other remedies for sleep apnea? Please share!