If you have sleep apnea, several medications may help you manage symptoms and improve your quality of life. Learn more about the different types available, including certain stimulants and lifestyle measures.

Sleep apnea occurs when your upper airway becomes constricted while you sleep. Some sleep apnea medications can help reduce or prevent symptoms.

Read on to learn about the common medications used to treat sleep apnea — including their benefits and side effects.

CNS stimulants are a type of medication that can help with low energy and concentration caused by sleep disruptions from sleep apnea.

CNS stimulants like methylphenidate (Ritalin) most commonly treat conditions like attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD). However, their effects on neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine can also help reduce the effects that sleep deprivation can have.

Some common CNS stimulants that healthcare professionals might prescribe for sleep apnea include:

  • armodafinil (Nuvigil), taken as a 200 milligram (mg) oral tablet once daily
  • modafinil (Provigil), taken as a 150 mg oral tablet once daily

Possible side effects of CNS stimulants can include:

Methylxanthine bronchodilators are muscle relaxers that make it easier to breathe at night and help reduce inflammation that can contribute to sleep apnea.

By relaxing the muscles involved in breathing, you can take deeper and more consistent breaths while also inhaling more oxygen with each breath.

This can help reduce the daytime symptoms of sleep apnea, like fatigue, and help prevent long-term complications, like high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.

Some commonly prescribed methylxanthine bronchodilators for sleep apnea include:

  • theophylline (Theo-24), taken as a 100-600 mg oral tablet once to twice daily
  • aminophylline, taken as an oral tablet, an oral fluid, or a rectal suppository once daily

Some side effects of these bronchodilators can include:

It can be helpful to avoid drinking stimulants like coffee or tea when you’re taking these bronchodilator medications because they can also affect the neurotransmitters targeted by the medication.

Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors stop your body from using an enzyme called carbonic anhydrase that produces carbon and hydrogen molecules. Healthcare professionals sometimes use it to treat glaucoma and heart failure.

These medications can help your body more effectively transport carbon dioxide, managing your breathing while you sleep and reducing the episodes of sleep apnea that you experience. This can also help you feel less tired and fatigued.

Acetazolamide (Diamox) is one of the most commonly prescribed carbonic anhydrase inhibitors. You usually take it as an oral tablet or capsule up to 500 mg every eight to 12 hours

Some possible side effects of carbonic anhydrase inhibitors include:

A few other treatment options for sleep apnea include:

  • Weight loss: This can help reduce the severity of your symptoms and improve other causes of sleep apnea complications, such as high blood pressure.
  • Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine: This can deliver a constant stream of clean air into your airways and keep your airways open when you sleep.
  • Bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP) machine: This can help you maintain a consistent flow of air when you inhale and exhale.
  • Side sleeping: Side sleeping can prevent your throat and airways from being constricted from sleeping in a supine position (on your back).
  • Surgery: On your tongue, tonsils, adenoids, or nerves to help address parts of your anatomy that might be contributing to your risk for sleep apnea.

The medication tirzenapide (Mounjaro) has also been explored as a possible treatment for sleep apnea.

A 2024 study suggests that this medication can help with weight loss and lower blood pressure. This could also help reduce symptoms of sleep apnea and improve sleep quality.

It can be helpful to speak with a doctor if you’re experiencing symptoms of sleep apnea that are disrupting your day-to-day life, such as:

  • snoring loudly enough to wake yourself up or disturb anyone sleeping near you
  • long periods of not breathing during sleep
  • gasping or choking when you sleep and waking up abruptly

You may also want to speak with a doctor about visiting a sleep specialist who can run tests to diagnose sleep apnea or other sleep-related conditions.

You can manage sleep apnea with lifestyle changes and the use of a machine that can deliver oxygen while you sleep, such as a CPAP or BiPAP machine.

However, taking sleep apnea medication can help manage the condition so that you don’t experience symptoms that are disruptive to your daily life or increase your risk of long-term complications like high blood pressure.