Sleep apnea robs people of the essential restful night’s sleep that no one can function without. The information presented below offers some great tips on how you can cope with sleep apnea in order for you to finally get that good night’s sleep you’ve been dreaming of.
Using a wind instrument can be a huge help in treating your sleep apnea. Research done by specialists in Germany indicates you can train your muscles in the upper airway by playing the didgeridoo. These muscles are responsible for the strength of your airway passage and its ability to dilate. Due to this, regular play can translate into good sleep at night.
If your sleep apnea is a result of narrow airways, look at options for a mouth guard. A sleep mouth guard will correct the airway and let you breathe correctly all night. If you think a mouth guard might help you out, consult a physician and ask her to fit you with one.
Get a mouth guard made specifically for you. They make these mouth guards specifically for people that suffer from sleep apnea. Instead of using a CPAP device, you can use a mouth guard. It will provide stability and help your airway to remain open.
Do you smoke and/or drink? Quit these terrible habits. These substances can really harm your airways. Smoking can actually swell your airways while alcohol can overly relax them; each causes sleep apnea. If you find that you just can’t give these bad habits up, do what you can to not do either of them within four hours of your bedtime.
A healthy diet can help you lose weight and combat sleep apnea. It may surprise you how much eating poorly can affect your sleep apnea symptoms. It’s been proven that poor diets can contribute to the severity of sleep apnea.
Normally sleep apnea is diagnosed after getting a physical exam, but it also helps to study your family’s medical history to see if it’s prevalent among your relatives. You can do sleep studies and the things the doctor finds will guide him on making a decision on what can be done.
If you suffer from sleep apnea, avoid using sleeping pills. The pills may relax the throat muscles so much that your airways do not function properly. If your sleep apnea is bad, these can prove a real risk. No matter how bad you want a good night’s sleep, these are not the answer.
Keeping a sleep ledger can help your doctor monitor your sleep apnea. You would record your total hours of sleep each night, as well as symptoms that occur. If you have a partner, they may be able to help document your snoring, jerky body movements and stoppage of breathing. Your doctor will then be able to tell if you suffer from sleep apnea.
If you are using a CPAP machine but having trouble keeping your mouth closed, you should consider using a chin strap. This minor fabric piece and make sure that your chin stays up and your mouth closed. If you keep your mouth open your CPAP will not work.
Sleep Apnea
When you travel, be sure to bring your CPAP on the trip. A diagnosis of sleep apnea is serious and means that you cannot forgo the use of your CPAP for even a single night. You should have a travel bag that is padded that came with the machine. This will help ease transporting your CPAP machine if you must be away.
No matter where you travel, you must bring your CPAP if you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea. Using a CPAP is essential every night for those of you living with sleep apnea. A travel bag with good padding probably came with your machine. Use it to bring your CPAP machine with you, no matter where you are sleeping.
You should use only one normal-sized pillow each night to sleep on. When you use multiple pillows or an over-sized pillow, it can interfere with your position as you breathe. Not only is this bad for your neck in general, it also restricts your airway. This means that one pillow is most appropriate to help alleviate your sleeping concerns.
If you are not getting relief from your sleep apnea treatment methods, consult your physician for more serious options. Some people do not respond to conventional sleep apnea treatment options and consequently, as a last resort, they have to undergo a surgical treatment option, such as removing of the tonsils or adenoids, or enlarging of the airway.
A good nasal spray can be helpful if you are having trouble breathing. You can experience a few nights of untroubled sleep using such a product. Nasal spray is not a permanent solution to nighttime breathing issues, though; prolonged use will cause irritation and possibly sinus damage. Head to your pharmacy to see what your options are to deal with your nose bothering you in your sleep.
Use only one, regular-sized pillow to sleep at night. Puffy pillows, or using too many pillows, can put you in a position that interferes with your breathing. Not only is this bad for your neck in general, it also restricts your airway. With this in mind, use only a single pillow to minimize sleep apnea symptoms.
Sleep apnea will not go away by itself; you need to treat it. Every person is different, so while a particular treatment worked for someone else you know, it may not work for you. Although losing weight is known to reduce sleep apnea symptoms, people who are thin suffer also. Many patients get great results with non-surgical treatments like CPAP therapy. Others prefer surgery so that they can treat airway restrictions. Which ever way you go, the key is to get it treated so you can live a peaceful life.
Not getting enough sleep can effect your life in drastic ways and ruin your future health. Take the steps needed to control sleep apnea, and start getting the quality sleep you deserve every night. Life is hard enough sometimes, so do not face it without a good night’s sleep.
If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, it is imperative that you stop smoking. Swelling of the airways occurs when one smokes; this makes sleep apnea worse. There are many effective ways to stop smoking. It is the initial 30 days after you quit that are usually the hardest. After that, it gets easier, because the nicotine addiction is gone.