For the past several years, have you been totally exhausted due to snore-filled sleep? Perhaps it’s not just snoring. Maybe it’s sleep apnea. It’s a good idea to get a firm diagnosis. If this is something you worry about, you don’t have to! This article will help fix your problem.
Drop some of your vices to fight against sleep apnea. Two of the biggest problems are drinking and smoking. Alcohol relaxes the muscles in the throat, which restricts the airway while a person sleeps. Smoking, of course, causes both long and short term damage to your lungs and airways, as well as putting you at risk for cancer. If you can give up these bad habits, you’ll see a significant reduction in your sleep apnea symptoms.
Sleep Apnea
Excess weight is an issue that plays a negative role in many sleep apnea sufferers’ conditions. If this applies, it is is important to shed some excess weight. The simplest way to take off the weight is to eat fewer calories and engage in daily exercise. Restriction of carbohydrates is shown to help those wanting to shed pounds.
It is important to stay away from alcohol if you have sleep apnea because it can help you see some improvement with the condition. These habits can cause your throat muscles to relax or swell, increasing sleep apnea. Unlike having expensive surgery or other medical procedures, eliminating these harmful habits actually saves money for you.
You may be able to improve or eliminate your symptoms by quitting smoking and/or drinking. Snoring and apnea are common occurrences for those with these habits because they relax the muscles in the airway. Unlike those medical interventions or pricey surgeries, eliminating these habits can save you money.
Look into corrective mouth pieces to help with your sleep apnea. Your symptoms could very well be exacerbated by congenital conditions like a small jaw, an over- or under-bite, or a naturally constricted airway. A device made to assist you during sleep can provide you with enough air to flow through your body.
Aside from the obvious reasons that losing weight is important, if you have sleep apnea, it’s vital that you lose weight. There are many studies linking overweight people to sleep apnea. Therefore, if you are obese, a loss of just 25 pounds can cause a major improvement in your apnea symptoms.
Sleep apnea sufferers often benefit from laying on their side during sleep. Sleeping on your back can obstruct your airways and cause apnea. Try very hard to rest on your side, and you may find your symptoms alleviated.
Playing music on a wind instrument can be beneficial to your sleep apnea problems. German researchers suggest playing the didgeridoo regularly trains your upper airway muscles. These particular muscles impact your airway dilation and control how stiff your airway walls get. So, if you play this instrument on a daily basis, it will help to limit the sleep apnea symptoms which in turn will give you a good night’s sleep.
Sleep on your side as much as possible. Many sufferers of sleep apnea sleep on their backs. Sleeping on your back can cause the tissues in your mouth and throat to block your airway. It’s easier to breathe when looking to the side. Put a pillow on your side if you always find yourself moving around during sleep.
Try using a mouth guard to help you sleep. Some guards are made to treat sleep apnea. It provides a more comfortable option to using a CPAP machine. It will provide stability and help your airway to remain open.
A diagnosis of sleep apnea is performed by analyzing your medical history as well as your family history, followed by a 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.
If you’ve got a prescription for a CPAP for your sleep apnea, try using it for around four hours each night. It is hard for many patients to become accustomed to using the CPAP. However, you must use your CPAP a minimum of four hours for it to be effective. If you are having difficulty adjusting to it at first, try to make sure you at least use your CPAP four hours each time you sleep.
If you’re not finding that anything is helping with your sleep apnea condition, talking to a doctor about various treatment options is recommended. Conventional treatments may not work for you, and other options do exist, including surgery that results in enlargement of the air passage.
Refrain from consuming alcoholic beverages as much as possible, especially at bedtime. Alcohol causes your muscles to relax. While this might often be a desirable side effect of drinking, it can also cause sleep apnea. Your throat muscles become relaxed, making it harder for your airway to stay open. If you do drink alcohol, avoid drinking it 3 hours before bedtime.
Sleep Apnea Symptoms
Sleeping pills and other drugs are not good solutions if you are having trouble falling asleep. Just like alcohol, these medications relax your throat when you sleep. They may also cause complications for sleep apnea patients. Consult your physician to find out about possible ways to get to sleep to faster that won’t react poorly with your sleep apnea.
Shed pounds if you want to get rid of your sleep apnea. Sleep apnea symptoms can be reduced or eliminated by taking off those extra pounds. Even small amounts of weight loss have been shown to improve sleep apnea symptoms and open up the throat and airways.
It’s vital that you don’t use any type of sleeping pill when you suffer from sleep apnea. The pills may relax the throat muscles so much that your airways do not function properly. Find other ways to solve your troubles with staying asleep, because sleep apnea mixed with sleeping pills can be a potentially life-threatening mix.
Having your sleep apnea diagnosed by your physician is important; however, some options for self-help may be beneficial to you. Avoiding smoking and losing weight are good for anyone, but especially those with sleep apnea. It’s also a good idea to refrain from eating heavy meals and drinking alcoholic or caffeinated beverages close to bed-time.
If you have a CPAP machine, carry your medical ID. If you need medical attention, it’s vital that the people treating you know about your condition and that you use a CPAP machine. This ID should state that you’ve got sleep apnea, that you’re using CPAP therapy, and that your machine has a specific pressure level that it must be set to.
Sleep apnea will not magically disappear; patients will need to get it treated. Different people find relief through different forms of treatment. If you lose weight you will help your sleep apnea, but this is not always the cause. There are many options available to help treat this condition, one of which is a CPAP machine. However, other people prefer having surgery where they can make changes in overcoming restrictions in the airway passages. Working with your doctor to identify the best approach for your apnea issues will increase your opportunity to live a healthy and well-rested life.
Do you travel frequently? If so, then do not forget to bring along your CPAP. The effectiveness of the CPAP depends on nightly use, and if you have sleep apnea, it is essential to not miss even one night. You should have a travel bag for your machine. Use this to easily transport your CPAP with you whenever you are away from home.
Sleep apnea has both multiple roots of origin and potential treatment vectors. This article gave you some ways you can deal with sleep apnea. Before you know it, you will be sleeping like a baby.
If you are afflicted with sleep apnea, then you need to give up smoking. It can cause your upper airways to start swelling, which can make your sleep apnea worse. Try going cold turkey. The first month is pretty tough for most people, but it gets better. Following that time, the nicotine will start leaving your body, and you’ll have decreased cravings.