December 25, 2025

The Hidden Root of Nasal Congestion & Even Sleep Apnea

29 minutes

In this episode, we go deep on sleep apnea + chronic nasal congestion—and we do it the Integrative You way: yes, there can be very real physical causes (strep colonies, mold, parasites, tonsils, lymph congestion, inflammation)… but if you’ve “done all the things” and nothing is shifting, we’re inviting you to look at the mind-body root.

Nicole shares her own journey with sinus issues and the moment it clicked: “subconscious suffocation.”We unpack how the body can mirror the feeling of being trapped, pressured, or unable to fully be you—and how that can show up as gasping, snoring, congestion, or full-blown apnea. Then we tie it together with practical nervous system tools (vagus nerve support, hypnosis/vasovagal reset), while still keeping the main point: if you don’t remove the stressor, you’re just managing symptoms.

#SleepApnea #NasalCongestion #SnoringSolutions #VagusNerve #PolyvagalTheory #NervousSystemRegulation #MindBodyMedicine #PsychosomaticHealing #HolisticHealth #FunctionalMedicine #IntegrativeMedicine #BreathworkHealing #TraumaInTheBody #HypnosisHealing #SomaticHealing #LymphaticDrainage #SinusHealth #InflammationHealing #RootCauseHealing #TheDoctorDuo

3 Key Takeaways:

Sleep apnea can mirror “I feel trapped” (literally or symbolically). Trapped in a job, relationship, role, pressure, injected values—your body can express that as not being able to breathe at night.

Physical protocols matter… but they’re not always the root. If you’ve tried sprays, red light, drainage, devices, supplements, etc. and nothing changes, it doesn’t mean the tools are bad—it means you may be treating the wrong cause.

The vagus nerve isn’t just something you “hack”—it’s something you heal at the source. Breathwork, humming, gargling, resets, hypnosis can help, but lasting change comes from identifying what’s chronically keeping your system in fight-or-flight (and asking better questions).

Quotes:

“If something you feel like really didn't even make the slightest bit of a change… it's not the root cause.”

“If you're constantly working on healing the body and it's not healing… the body's not the problem. The mind is.”

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2 Doctors Committed to Innovating the Healthcare Experience.

Integrative You Radio is hosted by husband-and-wife duo, Dr. Nicole Rivera and Dr. Nick Carruthers. With their voracious curiosity for Integrative Medicine, the Human Mind, Aligned Parenting, and Entrepreneurship, they bring a fresh perspective to the table. They aim to debunk the BS that is holding you back in your health, your relationships, and your life.

Each episode is designed to challenge your thinking, push boundaries, and inspire you to see your life through a new lens. Dr. Nicole and Dr. Nick share transformative insights that have revolutionized their lives and the lives of their clients at Integrative You.

This is raw. This is real. This is Integrative You Radio— where we blow shit up for the sake of human innovation.

Links:

Website: Integrative You

Instagram: Dr. Nicole Rivera & Integrative You

Tools & Modalities Mentioned:

Intranasal & ear laser: https://secure.gethealthie.com/appointments/embed_appt?dietitian_id=1246192&require_offering=true&immediate_checkout=true&offering_id=230462&hide_package_images=false&primary_color=000000

Upper Respiratory & Sinus Support Supplements: https://us.fullscript.com/plans/integrative-you-upper-respiratory-sinus-throat-infections

Our Favorite Respiratory & Lymphatic Drainage Tools: https://www.amazon.com/shop/integrativewellnessgroup?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsfshop_6XQST6Z0ZW89M5FXDVJR_2

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Questions? Call or text 732-810-1084.

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