Insomnia, sleeping problems and apnea treatments

Sleep is the main healing process of our body and one of the pillars to achieve a healthy life. On the other hand, its absence is one of the most common causes of premature aging. Problems such are insomnia and obstructive apnea are some of the most common disorders that are treated with sleep medicine. These lead to the development of heart disease, respiratory and nervous system, so that the correction of their symptoms is the preventive essence of this type of health problems.

As described by Dr. Vicente Mera, a specialist in Internal Medicine, “Sleep medicine is the science that deals with all irregularities and condition that disrupts sleep and daily rest.” And what is essential to treat this type of insomnia is the correct way to diagnose disorders and to propose appropriate solutions for completely personalized treatment.

To this end, at SHA we have developed a treatment with a unique approach in the world and innovative in the field of sleep medicine, in which are fused Western diagnostic and therapeutic techniques such as polysomnography and Auto-CPAP therapy, with healthy nutrition and techniques coming from oriental medicine such as acupuncture and herbal medicine. Thus, increasing the success rate of both techniques separately to eliminate sleep problems such as apnea or insomnia.

Our sleep medicine experts answer a few frequently asked questions (FAQ) about this treatment for apnea and other sleep problems:

What is apnea? Dr. Vicente Mera explains that apnea is one of the most common sleep disorders that exist. “It occurs when a person stops breathing for several seconds during sleep,” says Dr. Mera. Usually breathing returns to normal by snoring or breathing very hard but people who suffer from apnea will usually occur several times per hour (about 30) so their sleep is disturbed, they do not resting properly and therefore can not live their daily activity with fullness, even may be cases of job incapacity. “Although it is considered a chronic disease, the fact is that with proper treatment apnea can be cured, often through natural methods as improved nutrition and the application of certain therapies like acupuncture,” says our expert. What is polysomnography? The diagnosis is nocturnal polygraphic study consists in studying sleep characteristics through a polygraph which detects the different variables that influence starting and maintaining of sleep to get a detailed analysis of the process of a person’s sleep. What is the treatment by CPAP? The auto-CPAP involves the installation of a positive pressure chamber which allows to detect positive and, where applicable, rectify any abnormality in the sleep architecture. Using this diagnosis, positive results are obtained over a short period of time.

How acupuncture helps to eliminate insomnia? When insomnia is caused by too much nervous tension and stress, one of the most effective treatments for sleep longer and better is acupuncture. According to Beatriz Rubio, a specialist in Traditional Chinese medicine, the treatment of the energy points of the body through acupuncture manages to balance the body’s energy and thus calming the nervous system, making it easier for the patient to sleep. Indeed, it is even normal patients to fall sleep during treatment. In addition, acupuncture is a completely painless treatment that does not cause any side effects and is recommended to be performed twice a week.

What is phytotherapy? Phytotherapy is the science that studies the use of specific plants, herbs and other natural elements for therapeutic purposes, most often in place of medications or drugs that can generate complicated side effects, health problems and even addictions. Food supplements made ​​from natural products can be very effective and sure many of you know plants like valerian or St. John’s wort that help you calm nerves and provide a pleasant dream.

Is this a completely natural treatment? That depends on the conditions and problems of each patient. In SHA are in favor of trying to solve the health problems through natural therapies but we do not give up the latest advances of Western medicine or drugs, which may become necessary in some severe cases. Therefore it is very necessary to conduct a thorough and detailed prior diagnosis that allows to determine the individual needs of each patient in order to create a fully customized program.

And you … Do you have trouble sleeping? Have you tried to remedy them?