If you’re one of the many people who suffer from sleep apnea, you know how appealing any effective treatment can be. The bottom line is that knowledge is essential if the symptoms of sleep apnea are to be effectively managed. If you want to learn more information on sleep apnea, then read the below article.
Meet with a doctor about what CPAP machine you should use. The loudness and size of any machine should be considered. There are some small machines that make little noises. Your doctor will be familiar with them, so be sure to tap his knowledge.
Overweight people are more prone to suffering from sleep apnea. If you suffer from sleep apnea and are overweight, try losing a few pounds. A logical weight loss program that includes a restrictive, yet healthy diet together with a sensible exercise routine is necessary. Reducing carbohydrate intake can help greatly, as well.
Shed a bit of weight if you can. Multiple research projects demonstrate the connection between sleep apnea and being overweight. A loss of 10 or more pounds can significantly reduce our sleep apnea symptoms.
Mouth Guard
Start playing a wind instrument to alleviate your sleep apnea symptoms. Research conducted in Germany has shown that you can greatly strengthen the muscles of your upper airway by taking up an instrument like the didgeridoo. You can stiffen your throat muscles which will help them get more air to flow through them. So try and play the didgeridoo regularly to help you get through the night with sleep apnea.
Get a mouth guard made specifically for you. The design is made to relieve the symptoms of sleep apnea sufferers. A mouth guard will help keep your airway open and may eliminate the need for a CPAP machine. The soft tissues are given the support that they need to keep the airways open.
To keep your sleep apnea in check, eat a healthy diet to lose weight. It may surprise you how much eating poorly can affect your sleep apnea symptoms. Research shows that people who eat an unhealthy diet have more severe apnea than some overweight people who eat healthier.
Don’t drink a lot of alcohol. Alcohol relaxes the muscles too much. That may be something people like when they drink, but it also can cause sleep apnea. Like the rest of your muscles, those around your throat and airway relax under the influence of alcohol, making it harder for you to maintain a proper air passage. If you feel like you have to drink, try to not do it prior to going to bed.
You may be able to address your sleep apnea by simply changing from back sleeping to side sleeping. Your air passages are more likely to suffer obstruction when you sleep on your back. See if sleeping on your side doesn’t help your sleep apnea condition.
Consider any alternative you can find to using sleeping pills. Sleeping pills are similar in a way to alcohol because they may relax the muscles in your throat. In addition, sleeping pills can contribute to many problems associated with sleep apnea. Consult with your physician on sleep remedies that won’t hinder your breathing.
It is hard to know whether or not you are having difficulty breathing at night if you sleep alone. Or you can record yourself as you sleep to look at your sleeping patterns. You need to include audio in your video because the doctor needs to hear the noises you make.
Give sleeping on your sides a try. Many people with sleep apnea sleep while on their backs. When you sleep, your throat muscles relax, and back sleeping causes gravity to pull the relaxed muscles downward, restricting airflow. However, breathing is much easier if you sleep on your side instead. If your sleep tends to see you rolling onto your back, support yourself with pillows on one side or the other.
Your physician may want you to write in a log or journal about your sleep, in order to check to see if you have sleep apnea. You would record your total hours of sleep each night, as well as symptoms that occur. Your partner can best inform you if your sleep involves jerking limbs, stops in breathing and loud snoring. This diary will help a medical professional see patterns in your sleep habits.
Stick to a schedule when it comes to your sleep. Sleep apnea already disrupts your rest more than it should. Getting treatment from a doctor is just one part of the solution. Making sure that you don’t disrupt your sleep on your own with a lax sleeping schedule is another part of the solution. The first change you should make is setting a specific time to go to sleep and wake up each day.
If you use a CPAP, then ensure a medical ID is carried with you at all times. Upon need for help and medical attention, your condition must be known. Your ID should include your use of CPAP and the pressure level at which your CPAP must be set.
If you are using a CPAP machine but having trouble keeping your mouth closed, you should consider using a chin strap. It is only a small fabric strap that keeps your chin in place so you can sleep with a closed mouth. If your mouth falls open when you sleep, your CPAP therapy won’t be effective. Use this device to try and solve the problem.
If what you are doing at home isn’t working well enough to help your sleep apnea, then you should consult with a doctor to explore some additional treatment options. If less invasive treatments do not work, it is sometimes necessary to perform surgical procedures such as adenoid and tonsil removal and/or airway enlargement.
Treating allergies or sinus issues is an issue of the first order. During the night, you are already dealing with breathing problems. There’s no reason to compound your troubles by suffering through other problems that make it harder to breathe. Eliminating your nasal problems maintains a clear airway, which will increase the chances that you will sleep better.
People that have sleep apnea need the help of a doctor. There are various sleep apnea treatments for various people because no two cases are exactly alike. Shedding pounds can help people who are overweight, but not all sufferers have pounds to lose. Other options, including the use of a CPAP machine, have helped a great number of people curb their symptoms. Even the simplest surgery carries some risk, so it is best to consider surgery as a last option. Whatever path you choose, having any kind of treatment done is the secret to resuming a full and rich lifestyle.
Sleep Apnea
If you have sleep apnea, stop smoking. Your air passages swell when you smoke, which is no good for sleep apnea sufferers. Second-hand smoke is just as damaging to the respiratory system as first-hand smoke. It is the initial 30 days after you quit that are usually the hardest. Then you get less cravings as more and more nicotine leaves the body.
Sleep apnea is a condition that requires treatment in order to be resolved. Cases differ from patient to patient, and the same treatment will not be effective in every case. One good way to lessen sleep apnea episodes is by losing weight, but there are thin people who suffer from sleep apnea as well. Some people find that using a CPAP machine or a simple mouth guard designed for sleep apnea sufferers works for them. However, other people prefer having surgery where they can make changes in overcoming restrictions in the airway passages. More importantly than what treatment you decide to get is that you actually get some form of treatment.
One method you can try to improve your condition is to strengthen your throat muscles. The labored breathing common in sleep apnea is usually caused when the soft tissues of the throat collapse and obstruct the airway. The muscles will slowly become stronger, which means that they won’t collapse as often when you sleep, which in turn improves airflow.
Play wind instruments. The music is enjoyable and helps to strengthen the muscles that you use to control your breathing. Strengthening these muscles can help you better control them when sleeping, which can lessen apnea symptoms.
How you sleep influences how many times sleep apnea will strike on a given night. You must figure out which position is best for you. Elevate your body by placing a foam wedge under it. If possible, try raising the bed by about four inches at the top.
If you find that your CPAP machine is too drying, your physician can prescribe a humidifier for your mask. You are more likely to enjoy some good sleep, and also stick with therapy, if the air is moist and warm. Many CPAP machines come with built-in humidifiers now, so see if your doctor can prescribe one of those for you.
It’s a good idea to try to sleep on your side rather than your back if you’re struggling with sleep apnea. Some people sew a tennis ball or other lumpy object into their pajamas to keep from rolling on their back. This will cause discomfort if you roll over onto your back.
Back sleeping can aggravate the the symptoms of sleep apnea, so always sleep to one side of your body. Sewing a pair of balled up socks or a tennis ball onto the back of your PJs will help prevent rolling over. It does so by making it intolerable to sleep on your back.
There are a few simple solutions sleep apnea sufferers can look into. Sleeping at random times can disrupt your sleep, so go to bed each night at the same time. Make sure your environment is conducive to sleep as well, free of noise and distractions. With poor sleeping conditions you run the risk of having recurring sleeping issues.
If you plan on taking the plane for a long trip, contact the airline company and let them know you will need to use your CPAP machine. Friendly airlines are happy to seat you where there is sufficient room for you and your machine. Be sure to bring along a power adapter when using a foreign airline.
It is possible to use a mouth guard to treat some of the symptoms of sleep apnea. Sometimes the way a person’s face is shaped may be causing their air passage to be smaller. Your jaw’s alignment is improved with corrective devices, allowing more air to flow.
Having sleep apnea can seem like a never-ending journey in search of a solution. Information and understanding is critical for anyone hoping to curtail the symptoms of sleep apnea. You can easily reduce the severity of your problems with the information above.
If you believe you’ve got sleep apnea, try seeing your doctor and getting a sleep test. This test will determine if you have sleep apnea and how severe your condition is. Once you know about your condition and its severity, you can start getting treated.