Buteyko

[westozman]

Has anyone tried Buteyko breathing for sleep apnea?

[Berneta]

Buteyko

Hi--I have not heard of using Buteyko breathing for help with Sleep Apnea. (Some may use it and I haven't heard of it.) I do use meditation and deep breathing to relax myself before sleep--along with mild exercises as part of my bedtime routine. It seems to me that any kind of breathing or exercises that relax you, and help you expand, or clear your lungs and throat would be beneficial. Give it a try, and note how it effects you. If the results are not benefiical, then just try something else. Thats kinda what its all about --trial and error. Sooner or later you will figure out what is right for you. Good Luck, x Berneta

[Fredxx]

Not something I had heard of before you mentioned it, and I have now gone and done a bit of research. I have to say, after the research I am not tempted to try it and can't see how it would significantly help me, although some parts may help others.

Out of the three elements I could see that Nasal Breathing may help those that want to use a nasal mask rather than a full face, assuming that the nasal breathing exercises would make you more likely to nasal breath in your sleep. Most people do that anyway.

the reduced breathing exercises; as far as I can see, all that would mean is that an apnoea event would just be slower to wake you up, not likely to reduce the likelihood of it.

The relaxation; I guess that may help people who get panicky with the apnoea events, but they won't stop them happening.

So my opinion, some of the techniques may be of benefit to helping some symptoms of untreated OSA, but they definitely do not look to me like they would form any form of substitute for proper treatment of the condition, and with the proper treatment, the benefits would seem to be negligible.

[symmit]

I'm of the opinion that in a modern, stressful society, anything natural and non-invasive such as meditation, breathing techniques, gentle exercise, balanced diet,proper sleep, prayer, music, whatever can help relaxation and calming for a few hours every day cannot be a bad thing.

I'm currently typing this sat in the car by the river on my laptop listening to music - away from home, kids and work - it works for me!

[westozman]

The reason I asked the question originally is because Buteyko practitioners here in Australia advertise Buteyko breathing as a cure for OSA. They charge around $1000 for a course, this is about the price of a CPAP.
I think I'll stick with my CPAP!!!

[Fredxx]

That is exactly the sort of abuse that means people get even more skeptical of unlicensed practitioners of complimentary therapies, and the sort of thing that gets people killed.

"I don't need CPAP, I am cured by holding my breath a bit, I'm fine now, think I'll go for a drive"...zzzzz...BANG

[Richard]

Alternative Therapies

There will always be those members of the quasi-medical profession who can dream up a wacky scheme for treating anything you care to name: just another way of separating naive individuals from their hard-earned cash. Remember the old lady with OSA who spent thousands of pounds trying to get the DVLA's decision overturned?

There are a couple of treatments available, which bear thinking about:

HBOT - Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. You spend an hour in a compression chamber breathing pure oxygen at x4 atmospheres. This is recognised treatment for deep-sea divers suffering the 'bends', but is now used in the treatment of MS. Google HBOT to find out more.

A less aggressive form of treatment is that offered by Biolife Solutions, where you breathe 'mountain air'. Instead of travelling to the Swiss Alps to get some fresh air, their machine will reproduce it in your home. Keep you yodelling all day long, I expect.

Don't take these as recommendations: the Biolife machine comes out at about
£4k, but I am giving some serious thought to the HBOT. If I do it, I will keep you posted.

[Berneta]

Smoking

Hi Everyone--I am interested in learning if there has ever been a study done, to see if there is any kind of relationship between smoking and Sleep Apnea. TF said he smoked and quit some time ago. That is also true of me. I smoked heavily as a teen and young woman-- and quit smoking about 40 years ago. I have Central Sleep Apnea-- so smoking may not have made a difference for me--or it may have made it worse. Don't know--but would like to know more about it. Just wondering how many of you have been, or are now smokers. TF said some of us bring OSA on ourselves by poor diet and overweight--and I am wondering if smoking might be another factor. Thought that might be an interesting subject. x Berneta

[Fredxx]

Never smoked here, but I am a porker...

[Guest]

I gave up smoking about 7 years ago, started to put a bit of weight on and thats when the OSA really kicked in. The more the OSA took hold the slower I was and the more weight I put on, till eventually I had almost doubled my weight. Yes I probably have had OSA all my life but it was giving the weeds up made it a problem.

[Tigers Fan]

Retirement did it for me! or could it have been eating more and exercising less than when I worked?

TF

[dravidio]

I gave up smoking about 7 years ago, started to put a bit of weight on and thats when the OSA really kicked in. The more the OSA took hold the slower I was and the more weight I put on, till eventually I had almost doubled my weight. Yes I probably have had OSA all my life but it was giving the weeds up made it a problem.

You don't have to put weight on when you stop smoking (and congratulations on that one) It is not compulsory. Sounds to me like you turned to food to supply at least part of what smoking used to give you. Not smoking does not make you fat. Lack of exercise and eating too much do. I gave up smoking six years ago - and though I have gained a little weight - my BMI is now 26 which is slightly overweight when it was 25 - I have not piled on the pounds. I did for a short while and then decided to do something about it.

[Guest]

I was OK for a couple of years only gained a few pounds and was still cycling and climbing mountains. Then started not to enjoy it any more, was getting to be hard work and none of that 'thrill' when doing a big climb, Sparticus will know what I mean. My arthritis does not help, but it is slowly coming off.

[dravidio]

I was OK for a couple of years only gained a few pounds and was still cycling and climbing mountains. Then started not to enjoy it any more, was getting to be hard work and none of that 'thrill' when doing a big climb, Sparticus will know what I mean. My arthritis does not help, but it is slowly coming off.

Glad to hear it. I wasn't being judgmental in my post - well OK it sounded as if I was and I apologize. No, arthritis will not help at all. But you don't want to go back to smoking do you? Well - yes all of us nicotine addicts really do - but we know that it is not worth it apart from costing a fortune. If I reach the age of 95 I shall take up smoking again. The thought keeps me going. Meanwhile I know I cannot have one cigarette. I lost a five year quit when I was in my 30s to one cigarette.

Good luck with your efforts.