This seems like good news, since sleeping is something you’ve been doing your whole life. But sleep eludes tens of millions of us every night. Approximately one-fourth of Americans-—70 million people—occasionally experience sleep irregularities.

More Than Just a Snore

Half suffer from chronic disorders such as sleep apnea, which affects about 20 million Americans and ranges from mild to serious. Snoring and erratic breathing are two hallmarks of sleep apnea. When something blocks the airflow from your nose and throat to your lungs, you snore.

In many cases of snoring, your throat muscles relax to the extent that your airway is narrowed. As your breath moves through the narrow airway, your soft tissue vibrates, hence the noise. If you have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), your airway is blocked. You stop breathing, wake up gasping, and then quickly fall back into a light sleep. This can happen up to 30 times per hour.

In a rarer form of apnea—central sleep apnea (CSA)—a central nervous system defect hinders diaphragm functioning, but the nighttime awakenings are the same. Many who suffer from apnea have no memory of the frequent wakeups, though the subsequent daytime drowsiness often makes an impression.

The sleepiness resulting from apnea may put people at risk for serious accidents, but that’s not the only, or even most serious, health concern associated with the disorder. People with apnea may suffer from headaches, sexual dysfunction, and depression. Additionally, they are at greater risk for high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, and death.

Control What You Can

Serious cases of sleep apnea may require surgical or other traditional medical solutions (see “Approaches to Serious Apnea”). Mild forms of the disorder, or the presence of snoring, may be successfully treated with a variety of approaches. The most obvious involve reducing known risk factors for the disorder.

Weight and OSA are closely tied. As your body mass index (BMI) elevates, so too does snoring and your risk of developing sleep apnea. Losing weight is one of the most powerful means of fighting apnea. A 10 to 20 percent weight reduction can make a big difference. For the severely obese, even shedding a little weight can notably help apnea.

Two other risk factors individuals can change in their lives are the use of alcohol and sedatives. Alcohol can relax those muscles around your airway, exacerbating the snoring and breathing difficulties. Sleeping pills have a similar effect and also should be avoided.

Several quick fixes may solve snoring. Besides losing weight, try elevating your head at night and sleeping on your side. Nasal strips may open airways for some. Breathing steam before bed or running a vaporizer at night may help congestion-related snoring. Anecdotal evidence supports the use of aromatherapy for snoring. Place a jar of marjoram oil by your bed and leave it open while you sleep.

Sleep apnea is often linked to allergies. If so, pay special attention to what you eat. Remove mucus-producing dairy and bananas from your diet for a few weeks to see if you notice a difference. Add more essential fatty acids from salmon, sardines, walnuts, and flaxseed, which can help decrease allergic reactions. Mother’s recommendation of a glass of warm milk before bed was a good one: Calcium is a natural sedative, as is magnesium.

Supplements Can Help

Apnea sufferers and those who struggle with other sleep disorders have found several supplements helpful. Some plants with reported sleep-inducing properties include chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla), hops (Humulus lupulus), passionflower (Passiflora incarnata), and skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora).