If you've been diagnosed with a mild case of sleep apnea, you can make some lifestyle changes that may help improve the condition as well as ensure it doesn't get progressively worse. These self-help remedies are not 100% effective - they work for some people and not for others.

If you are overweight, losing some of the extra weight will often help your sleep apnea. Excess weight causes fatty tissue to build up in the neck, tongue and soft palate areas which can lead to obstruction of the airways. Losing weight can reduce these fatty tissues and help improve breathing.

Alcohol - and a number of medications such as sedatives, tranquilizers and sleeping pills - can worsen sleep apnea because it is a depressant and can lead to the muscles in the neck and throat relaxing more than normal. This can cause the airflow to become restricted when sleeping.

If you must drink alcohol, take your last drink 3 to 4 hours before going to sleep. This will allow your body to process the alcohol and the effects will be less.

Smoking is another thing that can aggravate sleep apnea. It tends to swell the nasal passages, which can lead to blockage of the airways.

The way you position yourself in bed is another thing that can make a difference. Elevating the top of your bed, such as by putting a phone book under the top end of your mattress, can help keep you in a position that will help keep your airways more open. Sleeping on your side can also improve your breathing, compared to sleeping on your back.

Being over-tired can contribute to a sleep apnea problem. Shoot for 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night and try to go to bed around the same time each night. The same goes for waking up - consistency can help you establish a routine that you can stick to.

One of the most common treatments for sleep apnea is known as continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP. This treatment works well for many people. CPAP is essentially a system that blows air through a mask that gets placed over your nose.

The air from the machine passes through the nose, where it flows down the throat and into the lungs. This helps to keep the airways open and clear.

Another form of CPAP is biPAP - bilevel positive airway pressure. This type of device controls both the intake and the outflow of air from the lungs. For example, when inhaling the air pressure is higher than when exhaling. This can help for people who are not able to cope with the constant high air pressure of CPAP.