Far too many people find themselves not getting enough sleep at night, but they often do not realize that their fatigue may be caused by a sleep disorder. Sleep apnea may be the cause of this, as it can obstruct the airways each night. Read on to learn more about sleep apnea, if you think you have it.
Drop your bad habits to relieve your sleep apnea. Smoking and drinking can inflame your airways and make them swell. You can have severe breathing problems if you are a heavy drinker as it depresses your respiratory system. Smoking, of course, causes both long and short term damage to your lungs and airways, as well as putting you at risk for cancer. When you stop doing these things, your sleep apnea symptoms should be reduced.
Even children can suffer from sleep apnea. If you find your child is innatentive, always tired or uses their mouth to breath and not their nose, they may suffer from this condition. A lot of times these symptoms look like the symptoms of someone suffering with ADHD, but you should consult with your doctor who can evaluate all the symptoms.
A common reason that people have sleep apnea is due to the extra pounds on their bodies. In this case, a person suffering from sleep apnea needs to lose this excess weight. Anyone in this situation should stick to a sensible diet, in combination with a good amount of exercise. Taking carbohydrates out of a diet is something that studies show helps people lose weight.
Sleep Apnea
Lose some weight if you’re heavy. There are many studies linking overweight people to sleep apnea. If you are obese, even shedding 25 pounds can provide a drastic improvement in your symptoms.
Sleep apnea is a severe condition to have. If you experience symptoms of sleep apnea, don’t delay the conversation with your doctor. In the process of fully diagnosing your condition, you may be able to consult with a sleep specialist. Home sleep tests with portable monitors are also often used to pinpoint sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea is usually diagnosed by a doctor after he looks at your family history, medical history, and you have a comprehensive physical exam. Also, there may be a sleep study performed and even a sleep specialist recommended if the doctor treating you feels that your condition is severe enough to get it looked at further.
Give sleeping on your sides a try. Many people with sleep apnea sleep while on their backs. When you sleep on your back it can cause your throat and mouth tissues to impede your airways. Sleeping sideways facilitates breathing. If you roll on your back when you sleep, try using pillows to stay on your side.
If you have apnea, make an attempt to have a schedule for sleep. Having this condition already is a problem for your nightly sleep cycle. A routine sleep pattern will discourage the condition from getting worse. The best thing you can do is to be sure you’re going to sleep and getting up every day during the same time.
Try to avoid sleeping pills when you’re suffering from sleep apnea. You could seriously damage your air passage ways if you take them while you have sleep apnea. These pills can lead to a very dangerous situation if your case is bad, especially when tempted to try and get a good night’s sleep.
If you have sleep apnea and your mouth keeps falling open while you sleep with your CPAP every night, try wearing a chin strap. The chin strap holds your chin so that you cannot sleep with your mouth open; it is a tiny piece of fabric. CPAP devices don’t work well when your mouth is wide open, so this device can help.
Lose a bit of weight to get rid of your sleep apnea. Symptoms of sleep apnea are completely resolved by many once they drop a few pounds. Even if you lose just a few pounds, you will notice a difference. This helps to open the airways.
Take your CPAP anywhere you go, even if you make a trip to the hospital. Your CPAP and your mask should be with you for both planned stays and trips to an emergency room. While they may have a machine for you to use, your machine is already preset for your specific settings and has the mask you are already accustomed to wearing. This will facilitate your CPAP therapy during your hospital stay.
Be sure to make use of nasal spray for a runny, stuffy, itchy nose. This should help clear any blockages in the airways for a couple of nights. However, you should not continuously use nasal sprays as this may cause nose damage. You should go to your pharmacy and explore different options to keep your nose open while you sleep.
Losing weight will often make a big difference for patients suffering from sleep apnea. If you are overweight it is more common that you might have sleep apnea. When you lose a few extra pounds you reduce the pressure on your airway and breathing becomes easier.
If you suffer from sleep apnea, do not underestimate the power of losing a few pounds. Those who are overweight usually suffer from sleep apnea due to the circumference of their neck. Losing the excess weight can greatly lower the pressure it puts on your airways and helps to get air flowing freely so you can breathe much better at night.
While a condition like this does require the professional opinion of a doctor, there are many self-help remedies that work, too. Shedding pounds and quitting smoking are too big things you can do. You should also refrain from consuming alcohol, heavy meals, and caffeine for a few hours before bed.
You can help lessen the effects of sleep apnea by doing exercises which strengthen the throat muscles. The labored breathing common in sleep apnea is usually caused when the soft tissues of the throat collapse and obstruct the airway. As your strengthen your muscles, you will have more control over them.
If you want a way to reduce your chances of getting sleep apnea, strengthen your throat muscles. When the muscles at the back of your throat collapse, your breathing can be reduced. Stronger muscles have more integrity and will not be as likely to block your airways.
Try sleeping on your side to reduce sleep apnea as back sleeping only worsens the symptoms. To prevent yourself from rolling onto your back while asleep, try sewing a lumpy object like a ball on your pajamas. It does so by making it intolerable to sleep on your back.
Remember that you need not feel embarrassed by your CPAP machine and your treatments. Be open about it and explain to others that it is necessary for you to sleep better. Stress that it is necessary for your health. Remember that the CPAP machine is necessary for your health, and those who love you will not think any differently of you because you need it.
Someone who suffers with snoring or sleep apnea should think about taking up a wood instrument. A study in Germany proved that playing a Didgeridoo can reduce sleep apnea symptoms and induce other soothing effects. Playing a musical instrument strengthens the airways and gives you greater control.
Remember that you must bring your CPAP machine with you on long air flights, and the airline must know about this in advance. They will usually accommodate you by giving you a seat where you can easily get to your machine. You’ll need a power adapter on any foreign flights you take.
Use meditation, warm baths and massages to help you relieve stress and reduce anxiety-induced sleep apnea. A hot bath will reduce your tension and make you feel more relaxed. It is likely that you will fall asleep more easily and rest more soundly, offering the potential for minimizing apnea symptoms as a result.
Some people become anxious due to their sleep apnea and make the mistake of taking sedatives before bed, which can be dangerous for apnea sufferers. Take a warm bath instead. Your muscles relax and the tension leaves your body when you sit back in a soothing hot bath. This will make it easier to fall asleep and get the good night’s sleep you deserve.
Sometimes you might just need to do a few simple things to help with your sleep apnea. Schedule a nightly bedtime and stick with it. Be certain you create an environment in your bedroom that is conducive to sleep. Insomnia is a real danger if your sleeping arrangements are sub-par.
There are oral devices that can help in the treatment of some sleep apnea cases. Some individuals have jaws aligned or formed in ways that constrict their air passages. Proper jaw alignment for easy breathing during sleep is possible thanks to corrective mouth guards.
Be aware that sleep apnea is not something you will always know is occurring at night. If you have unexplained exhaustion, sleepiness, or you’re falling asleep when you drive, try talking to a doctor about it. It may be the daytime symptoms that you notice that lead you to find out that it is apnea that is causing them.
If you suspect that you might be suffering from sleep apnea, consult a physician and arrange a sleep study. A sleep study is a test that can determine not only if you have apnea but also how severe it is. The next step is to find a treatment for your problem, even if you have a very mild case of sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea is a type of throat problem, so strengthening your throat muscles can help alleviate many apnea symptoms. There are a host of quick, simple exercises that can have a beneficial effect; you should be able to learn and master them very rapidly.
Sleep on your side as opposed to your back after you find out suffer from sleep apnea. Sleeping on your back may cause the airways to become restricted or collapse while you sleep, which makes sleep apnea worse. Because of this, you should aim to sleep on one of your sides. By doing this, gravity won’t be your enemy.
After your diagnosis of sleep apnea, you have to prioritize forming a treatment regimen that is an effective source of relief. It is important to get enough sleep on a regular basis. If you follow these tips, you will get better sleep and feel better. as well.
Some researchers believe that strengthening your throat muscles may help alleviate sleep apnea. If making your throat stronger is something that you want to do, plenty of exercise choices exist that are quick to do.