If you have recently received a sleep apnea diagnoses, don’t panic. Being a sufferer of sleep apnea can be very dramatic, which is especially true for those that are not aware of what they can do for their condition. You must learn about effective apnea treatments, which you will find in this article.
It is important to use your CPAP machine if instructed to by your doctor. You should use it for the full night, but if you cannot, try to get at least 4 hours with the machine. Some people have a really hard time sleeping with the device. For this CPAP therapy to work successfully, you will need four hours each day to use it. You’ll be comfortable using it on a regular basis in no time.
Sleep Apnea
Sleep Apnea also affects children. If your child exhibits any of the symptoms associated with sleep deprivation, such as chronic irritability, hostility and a drop in their grades, you might be looking at a case of sleep apnea. 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.
Excess weight is an issue that plays a negative role in many sleep apnea sufferers’ conditions. In this case, a person suffering from sleep apnea needs to lose this excess weight. Following a reasonable weight loss plan and exercising is essential. Carbohydrate restriction has been shown to help people lose weight in recent studies as well.
You may be able to address your sleep apnea by simply changing from back sleeping to side sleeping. Sleeping on your back can obstruct your airways and cause apnea. If you can get to sleep lying on your side (and stay that way through the night), you may well experience a much less trouble night.
If you have narrow air passages, consider a mouth guard. Narrow airways can be opened, jaws can be properly aligned and nasal passages can be opened up to allow more air into the lungs. If you think this will help, you should ask your physician to fit you with a mouth guard.
A good physical exam, and a look at your family history, can quite often easily determine sleep apnea’s presence. Your general practitioner may order a sleep study. Based upon this, he or she may give you a referral for a sleep specialist. Sleep specialists focus primarily on the diagnosis and treatment of people with sleep disorders.
If you’re having a problem with sleep apnea and are a smoker or a drinker, you may find that quitting can help you immensely. These habits can affect your airway, which makes sleep apnea and snoring more likely. Remember that surgery and medications are expensive. Correcting bad habits is free.
Your physician may suggest that you start recording your sleeping habits in order to zero in on your sleep apnea symptoms. Keep track of how many hours you’re sleeping the entire night and any symptoms you have. Your partner can best inform you if your sleep involves jerking limbs, stops in breathing and loud snoring. This makes it easier for the doctor to diagnose your condition.
If you have a prescription for sleep apnea and you are prescribed a CPAP, you should at least use it four hours every night. It is hard for many patients to become accustomed to using the CPAP. However, in order to be effective, the CPAP has to be used for four hour every night. If you have trouble adjusting to use it the full night, keep it on for four hours at the least.
Adding a chin strap to your CPAP routine can help to keep your mouth closed as you sleep. The chin strap is a fabric strap that supports your chin to keep your mouth shut. CPAP devices don’t work well when your mouth is wide open, so this device can help.
It’s best to lay on your side to sleep when you have sleep apnea. Sleeping on your back is attributed to a lot of people who suffer with sleep apnea. If you sleep on your back, you are more likely to have your mouth open and block your airways. It is best to sleep on your side when you can. If you usually sleep on your back, make a conscious effort to change your ways.
Don’t forget to bring your CPAP along when you need to stay in the hospital. If your stay is planned or an emergency, you will need your CPAP device either way. This is because it is already customized to the pressure you need, and the mask won’t be awkward. This will simplify your CPAP therapy during your stay at the hospital.
If you are dealing with sleep apnea, you never want to take any sleeping pills. Pills such as these may cause a relaxation of your throat muscles which causes your airways to not function properly. 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.
To decrease your risk of sleep apnea symptoms, lose some weight. It’s possible to get rid of this condition just by losing weight. Even a loss of a few pounds has been beneficial in opening the airway.
Bring your CPAP along with you if you’re going to the hospital. Whether the hospital stay is a planned one or it’s just an emergency room visit, always bring along the CPAP machines just in case you need to stay for awhile. The machine is pre-set to your specifications and you have the benefit of wearing the mask you are already familiar with. This will make continuing your CPAP therapy much more tolerable.
People with sleep apnea often get good results by losing weight. Sleep apnea is more common in patients who are overweight and have a large neck circumference. Pressure on the neck is reduced with weight loss, making breathing easier while sleeping.
Sleep apnea can be very troublesome if not treated. You’ll be happy to know, however, that you can find many treatments available to you. Take the information you’ve learned from this article, discuss it with your doctor and then apply it to your life to ensure that you stay fit and healthy.
Always discuss your sleep apnea problem with your doctor, but also try some self-help treatments. Stopping smoking and shedding weight is a great start, especially for anyone dealing with sleep apnea. Also, stay away from large meals, caffeine and alcohol a few hours before going to sleep.