How Long Will It Take To Reverse Damage From Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder that affects your breathing while you sleep. It often causes repeated pauses in the airflow and disrupts the sleep. Having sleep apnea means you develop risks of getting heart disease, high blood pressure, memory problems, and chronic fatigue.
Often, people who begin sleep apnea treatment wonder how long it can take to reverse the damage. Well, the answer depends on several factors. Some of the factors are the severity of the condition, how long it has been left untreated, and how consistently one has followed the treatment guidelines.
When you understand the treatment timeline, you set a realistic expectation. You will get more information on this in this blog.
What are the Factors Affecting Sleep Apnea Recovery Time?
The time it takes to see improvement varies from person to person. Several key factors influence the recovery process:
- Severity of Sleep Apnea
The more severe the condition of sleep apnea, the more damage it has likely caused over time to your body. If your sleep apnea is mild, you might notice some improvements within a few weeks. However, if it is severe, you will need much longer to experience any significant improvement.
- Duration of Untreated Sleep Apnea
If you have left sleep apnea untreated for a prolonged time, you are more likely to cause severe damage to your body- extreme oxygen deprivation, stress, and inflammation. You will need a long time to reverse the damage.
- Age and Health of the Patient
If you are young and you do not have too many underlying health issues, you are likely to recover from sleep apnea faster than any older individual. Pre-existing conditions like heart disease, obesity, or diabetes negatively affect the symptoms of sleep apnea.
- Consistency of the Treatment
Sticking to a particular treatment is very important for a faster recovery. Whether you are using CPAP therapy or making some changes to your lifestyle, sticking to it will be your best chance for recovery. If you are inconsistent with your treatment, you might not see any significant improvement for a long time.
How Long to Expect for Noticeable Improvement?
- Within weeks, you will see improvement in sleep quality, reduced fatigue, and better focus.
- Within months, your cognitive recovery will be noticeable, and you will be at a reduced risk of heart problems.
- With years of treatment, you will have better heart health and cognitive function and you will be at a lower risk of chronic diseases.
How to Speed Up Recovery from Sleep Apnea?
Reversing the damage from sleep apnea will take time. However, you can do these to speed up the process:
- Maintain a healthy body weight. Losing excess weight helps reduce airway obstruction and improve breathing while you sleep.
- Get a good sleep. Avoid screens before bedtime and create a peaceful environment in your room.
- Stay away from alcohol and sedatives. These substances relax your throat muscles and worsen the symptoms.
Reversing the damage caused by sleep apnea is possible. All you need is patience and a long-term commitment to the treatment. The impact of the influencing factors may vary, but the result will come. Whether you are following CPAP therapy, lifestyle changes, or any other medical intervention, the key is to stick to it.
